The South Western Sydney LHD is one of the largest LHDs in New South Wales, and about 30% of its consumers speak a language other than English. The district-wide Consumer and Community Participation (CCP) framework – currently in its sixth version – strengthens and encourages the LHD’s approach to partnering with consumers. The LHD supports consumer representatives to ensure they are confident and empowered to engage effectively. A Consumer and Community Participation Unit has guided respectful and meaningful consumer governance and partnership since 2002.

The Riverland Mallee Coorong LHN serves a large rural and regional area of South Australia. Since the original case study in 2018, Riverland General Hospital has had a significant shift in governance structures. It moved from being part of the Country Health SA LHN to becoming the Riverland Mallee Coorong LHN. The governing board and key committees now comprise local community members, which has led to better engagement with consumers and local communities.

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Sydney LHD is a public health service that continues to strengthen its approach to person- and family-centred care, and embed these aspects of care in organisational strategies, structures and processes, since its original case study in 2018. The LHD supports the wellbeing of its workforce, as this leads to compassionate person- and family-centred care. It has also worked with consumer representatives to use technology in the redesign of patient care and services.

Western Health is a large public health service that services nearly 1 million Melburnians. Since its original case study in 2018, Western Health has continued to build on and embrace person-centred care and partnering with consumers. This has partially been achieved by further embedding the Best Care Framework, which guides Western Health’s approach to care delivery. Consumer representatives feel that there is a culture at Western Health that genuinely values and appreciates the consumer voice, and this culture has been supported by leaders in the organisation.

John Fawkner Private Hospital, part of Healthscope Hospitals, provides services to a culturally diverse community, and many patients are older and/or have complex or chronic conditions. In its original 2018 case study, the workforce spoke extensively about the hospital’s strong culture, with patients cared for ‘as part of our family’. Since then, the hospital has been through a major redevelopment. It now has critical care, inpatient, day surgery and operating facilities, and more upgrades are happening.

The Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD is a large service provider that must meet the needs of a rapidly growing consumer base of more than 400 000 people. Top-down leadership and commitment is helping to embed a culture that values consumer input. This is key to building systems, policies and processes to embed partnering with consumers across the LHD. The LHD is especially advanced in promoting improvements in health literacy and developing high-quality, easy-to-understand materials for consumers.

Alpine Health services a community of 12 000 people and has created formal structures, including consumer advisory groups, to gather input from many geographically dispersed services. Its focus is on understanding the needs of older people. Consumer engagement is supported by dedicated resources, and a strong culture that values and invites feedback.