Care Opinion Australia

We know life can be busy, so we’ve broken down the recent podcast collaboration between the Department of Health (WA Health), WA Country Health Service, and Care Opinion Australia into bite-sized segments for your convenience.   In this first release, Dr. Audrey Koay from WA Health dives into the transformative power of consumer feedback in shaping safer, more empowering healthcare practices. Learn how the Positive Birth Program is shifting power dynamics and fostering confidence in families during their healthcare journey.   📺 Watch this short, insightful segment here: https://lnkd.in/gvsY-M8s We’d love to hear your thoughts—what stands out most to you? Join the conversation in the comments.

We’re thrilled to have been part of Hush Foundation and Gathering Of Kindness session, "What Matters to You?" this morning!   Our very own Rebecca Somerville was proud to have been a part of the conversation and has brought many thought-provoking and inspiring points back to our team.    Let’s continue the conversation of kindness in care! 💬 #GatheringOfKindness #PatientCenteredCare

In our latest blog, we dive into WA Country Health Services' Positive Birth Program and hear from Dr. Audrey Koay from the Department of Health (WA Health) on the vital role of consumer feedback in driving healthcare safety and quality.    As highlighted by Kasey Biggar (Clinical Midwifery Manager) and Katrina Jones (Clinical Midwifery Specialist), this initiative is more than just a program—it’s a movement empowering families, amplifying their voices, and encouraging a culture of mutual respect and partnership in healthcare.   Read more about how storytelling and feedback are shaping a safer, more supportive healthcare environment and we encourage you to leave a comment on the blog and join the conversation about empowering healthcare for all: https://lnkd.in/gVHSi5YX

Following this week's story on 7NEWS Australia about a Perth grandmother's care in hospital, Clare Mullen, Executive Director of Health Consumers' Council WA, has shared a blog highlighting the critical role of family members as advocates in healthcare. Clare stresses the importance of speaking up when concerns arise about a loved one’s hospital care and shares practical steps for escalating issues. The post reinforces the message: families are vital advocates. Care Opinion Australia is proud to be a platform for patients and their families, friends and carers to not only share the positive aspects of care, but a place to speak up and seek improvement.    Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g7Z_ZwSa

🌟 Help Shape the Future of Women and Newborn Health Care! 🌟 At Care Opinion, we know how powerful a birthing experience can be—it stays with you for life. That's why we’re helping spread the word about a unique opportunity from WA Health. WA Health is recruiting for Project Consumer Advisory Groups (PCAGs) as part of the New Women and Babies Hospital Project. They are seeking people who have had a recent experience with women and newborn health services at Osborne Park Hospital, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital, or Perth Children’s Hospital to share their insights and help shape future facilities. By participating, you’ll help ensure that the new facilities meet the needs of all Western Australians, ensuring they are accessible, inclusive, and culturally respectful. If you want to make a real difference in shaping healthcare, learn more and submit your EOI today! 🔗 Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/gBHRc8-n #HealthcareInnovation #PatientVoice #WomenAndNewbornHealth #FirstNationsHealth #HealthcareDesign #InclusiveCare

🎙️  Introducing the Care Opinion Podcast Series! We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new podcast series, dedicated to exploring the power and impact of narrative feedback in healthcare. This series will feature insightful conversations with experts, consumers, and service providers who are making a difference by championing the consumer voice.   Today marks the release of our inaugural episode, and we couldn't be more excited about the incredible lineup of guest speakers: - Dr. Audrey Koay | Executive Director of the Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Directorate, Department of Health (WA Health) - Katrina Jones | Bunbury Clinical Midwifery Manager, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) - Kasey Biggar | Clinical Midwifery Specialist and Parent Education Coordinator, WACHS In this episode, we explore how narrative feedback drives continuous improvement and patient safety—principles actively applied in the Positive Birth Program. Our guests discuss the role of integrating consumer stories in shaping clinical practices, empowering families, and enhancing maternity care, shedding light on how these healthcare teams are adapting to meet the real-world needs of women and their families, enhancing transparency, accountability, and trust.   As we approach World Patient Safety Day on 17 September, this conversation is a timely reminder of how listening to patient voices can be a catalyst for global action toward safer healthcare.   🎙 Highlights include: - The significance of consumer stories in improving healthcare safety and quality. - How the Positive Birth Program empowers families and encourages storytelling. - The role of positive feedback in recognizing staff and inspiring other consumers. After reading countless stories about the WACHS Positive Birth Program, and seeing the lives of so many women and families touched, we have been eagerly looking forward to sharing this with you. Watch now at https://lnkd.in/gjF5ts3Y and join us in transforming how we think about and engage with narrative feedback in healthcare.   #CareOpinionPodcast #PositiveBirthProgram #MaternityCare #PatientFeedback #ContinuousImprovement #WACHS #WAHealth #PatientVoices #PodcastLaunch #Hypnobirthing #WACHSSouthWest #WorldPatientSafetyDay

Care Opinion Australia is excited to be a part of the upcoming Australian Centre for Value-Based Health Care / Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA) webinar: "Narrative storytelling: using consumer stories to drive value, quality, and outcomes."   Narrative storytelling is not just about sharing experiences; it is a strategic approach to capturing consumer insights that can inform and drive quality improvement initiatives in healthcare. This webinar will focus on how consumer stories can be effectively used to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes.   We look forward to hearing our very own Rebecca Somerville discussing these critical themes alongside other industry experts.   To hear more about how narrative storytelling is being used to drive value, quality, and outcomes in practice, join us and the Australian Centre for Value Based Health Care online on September 9th, 4-5pm AEST. In this webinar we will hear from a panel of healthcare leaders about the practice of narrative storytelling, its impacts on workforce wellbeing, and how consumer stories are being used to reorient health services and systems.   SPEAKERS - Neil Cowan, Executive Director, Armadale Kalamunda Group, East Metropolitan Health Service - Francis Nicolas, A/Service Manager, Community Management Centre, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) - Marsha Burgess, Consumer / Storyteller - Delaney Gibbons, Director, Safety Quality and Performance, Women and Newborn Health Service - Rhys Gloury, Interim Chief Executive, Alpine Health - Rebecca Somerville, National Manager, Care Opinion   To participate, please register here: https://ow.ly/tcAV50T1FjL

#TLDR free training for staff in health and health services to build your confidence in delivering culturally inclusive care. Having recently refreshed our strategic plan at Health Consumers' Council WA, we reiterated our commitment to our vision of equitable person-centred healthcare. With WA being one of the most diverse states in Australia, a big part of achieving that vision is working to support health services to deliver care that meets the needs of WA's diverse population. We are able to offer this in-person workshop for staff in WA health and related services free of charge thanks to funding from the Department of Health (WA Health) Find out more and register for this workshop on 19 August below ⬇ (We also deliver this workshop on a fee for service basis for organisations.) Helen Mitchell, GAICD Helen McLean Kirtida Shah Al Muhit Kim Brewster Mallika Macleod Mark Fallows Frances Downey Amanda Ling Simon Towler Catherine Stoddart Kylie Mayo Hornbuckle Janet

Listening to the insightful Dr Fadhila Mazanderani, Prof Ellen Stewart and Dr James Munro on the recent Care Opinion UK research chat; Beyond cards and complaints. Particularly interesting is what the research is saying as to why consumers choose to share feedback publicly, and the overwhelmingly good intent behind this action. Just a few of these reasons are: - To say thank you and express gratitude of the care received - Motivated by strong commitment to the health service (NHS) - Wanting positive change; feedback for care improvement - Saw feedback as a form of care improvement - Wanting their positive feedback to be seen by those 'higher up' i.e. policy makers - To inform other patients and their families - Simply by putting feedback out there, it would help improve care and communication Listen and learn via the Care Opinion UK website: Research chat 23: Beyond cards and complaints | Care Opinion

Family Caregivers: Unsung Heroes in Patient Safety Family caregivers are essential in maintaining patient safety, often identifying safety and quality issues that go unnoticed. According to research by Gillespie and Reader, online patient feedback serves as a critical channel for caregivers to report these incidents. This feedback helps healthcare providers address and resolve safety concerns, ultimately enhancing patient care. Let’s acknowledge and support the invaluable contributions of family caregivers in ensuring safe and effective healthcare. Read the Gillespie paper here: https://lnkd.in/gSTsAQhQ #PatientSafety #Caregivers #HealthcareInnovation