Partnering with Consumers Standard

Consumers are provided with information about their healthcare rights.

• Does the health service organisation have a charter of rights that is consistent with the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights?
• How do patients, carers, families and consumers use the charter at different points throughout their healthcare journey?

• Adopt the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (with or without amendments)
• Provide ready access to copies of the charter, in appropriate languages or formats, to all patients, and their carers and families.

Patients are involved in appropriate informed consent processes.

• How does the health service organisation ensure that its informed consent policy complies with legislation and best practice?
• How does the health service organisation monitor compliance with consent processes?

• Adopt a comprehensive policy and associated procedures on informed consent by patients in clinical decision-making
• Schedule periodic reviews of the effectiveness and outcomes of the policy.

Patients who do not have the capacity to make decisions about their care are identified, and systems are put in place so that they, or agreed substitute decision makers, are involved in decision making, including informed consent.

• What processes are in place to support clinicians to identify a patient’s capacity to make decisions about their own care?
• How are clinicians supported to identify a substitute decision-maker?

• Adopt a comprehensive policy and associated procedures to identify patients who do not have the capacity to make decisions about their own care.
• Schedule periodic reviews of the effectiveness and outcomes of the policy.

Patients receive safe and high-quality care by being involved in decisions and planning about current and future care.

• What systems and processes are available for clinicians to partner with patients or their substitute decision-maker to plan, communicate, set goals, and make decisions about current and future care?
• How does the health service organisation review the use and outcomes of systems and processes for partnering with patients or their substitute decision-maker?

• Develop policies and processes (or review existing policies and processes) to involve patients or their substitute decision-maker in planning, communication, goal-setting and decision-making for their current and future care, and review workforce compliance with these policies and processes
• Set up mechanisms to support communication between clinicians and patients or their substitute decision-maker
• Periodically review the systems for partnering with patients or their substitute decision-maker in their own care.

Clinicians work with patients to enable them to be partners in their own care.

• How is the workforce supported to form partnerships with patients so that they can be actively involved in their own care?
• How is workforce participation in education and training to support patient partnerships monitored and evaluated?

• Implement an education and training program to develop the skills of the health workforce to partner with patients in their care.

Consumers receive the information they need in a way that is appropriate for them.

• How are the communication needs of consumers and the community identified?
• What strategies are used to tailor communication to meet the needs of a diverse consumer and community population?

• Develop a framework for meeting the communication needs of a diverse consumer and community population
• Ensure that accredited interpreter services are available to consumers who require them
• Use a variety of mechanisms to meet the communication needs of a diverse consumer and community population.

Consumers are involved in the development of information about health and health services, so it easy to understand and act on.

• How are consumers involved in the development and review of patient information that is developed internally?

• Develop and implement a process for engaging consumers during the development of consumer information about health and health care.
• Develop and implement a process for sourcing consumer feedback on internally developed consumer information and incorporating this feedback to inform future improvements.

Consumers receive the information they need to get the best health outcomes, and this information is easy to understand and act on.

• What processes are used to ensure that the information available for clinicians to give to patients meets the patients’ needs?
• How are clinicians supported to meet the information needs of patients for ongoing care on discharge?

• Set up processes to support clinicians to communicate effectively with consumers about their health and healthcare needs.

Consumers help shape the way the health service organisation operates to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, and these consumers are reflective of the diversity of the people who use its services or, if relevant, the local community.

• How does the health service organisation involve consumers in governance planning, and the design, measurement and evaluation of health care?
• How does the health service organisation ensure that the diversity of consumers and local communities who use the service is reflected in these partnerships?

• Identify the diversity of consumers who use the services and who are part of the local community.
• Implement a framework and systematic processes for partnering with consumers in the design, measurement and evaluation of healthcare services delivered by the organisation.
• Implement a policy to ensure that the consumers involved in these partnerships represent the diversity of consumers who use the organisation’s services.

Consumers partnering in organisational design and governance have the skills and knowledge they need to be able to contribute effectively.

• What training and support are offered to consumers who are partnering in the governance, design, measurement and evaluation of the health service organisation?
• How is feedback from consumers used to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the support provided?

• Develop (or adapt), and provide access to, orientation training and resources for consumers who take part in governance processes, or contribute to design, measurement or evaluation activities.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples receive health care that meets their needs.

• What framework is used to enable the health service organisation to partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities?

•  Implement (or adapt) a framework for partnering with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Adapt existing consumer resources or programs to be culturally appropriate for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Create a culturally safe environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers who use the health service organisation.

The workforce has an understanding of health care from the consumer’s perspective, and the value that consumers can bring to organisational design and governance.

• How are consumers involved in the design and delivery of workforce training and education?

• Implement a policy that involves consumers in the design and delivery of workforce training
• Consult regularly with consumers to seek their views and input for the development and delivery of workforce training.