Consumer advisory committee

Bright Insights

The consumer advisory committee is an advisory body to HealthBright, helping to shape the future direction of health services within our platforms. Members provide consumer and community perspectives to ensure that decisions, investments, and innovations are patient-centred, high-quality, cost-effective, responsive to community needs, and informed by local health consumer and carer experiences and expectations.

Hosting this consumer advisory committee is an explicit acknowledgment that HealthBrigh values and is interested in engaging in an ongoing, collaborative relationship with consumers, and that their opinions will be heard and valued.

This is a brighter mental health future for all Australians, this is HealthBright.

Roles of Members

Act as an advocate and promote the interests of consumers
Present how consumers may feel and think about certain issues
Provide advice on the components of the mental health program
Review resources and tools
Provide advice on the implementation of our mental healthcare work, including how to inform, educate and engage relevant stakeholders
Report the activities of the committee to consumers, and
Flag the need for consumer consultation where necessary, e.g., with marginalised groups

Research demonstrates better health outcomes results if consumers are involved in decision-making, including more robust decisions, smoother implementation, promotes consumer confidence, creates links with community, and advocates for consumer rights.

Involvement

The advisory committee will meet quarterly and be comprised of approximately 8-12 people, including a chair and secretary
Individuals on the committee will have
- Signed agreements
- Training and capacity building (health literacy training)
- Lived experience of mental health and be able to speak to the broader experience of others with mental health
Committee members will be remunerated for their time in the meeting and a small amount of pre-reading.

Involvement

Broadly, HealthBright’s overarching research concept is "Breaking barriers and supporting help seeking for individuals with poor mental health"

Projects to date:

Establish mental health advisory committee 2024
Accreditation to NSQHS digital mental health standards (Feb 2024)
Establish relationships with outreach services, including Mission Australia and the Royal Flying Doctors Society
Establish research connections, including a PhD internship
Create a rapport-matching algorithm for clinician to client