Torres Strait-Northern Peninsula Hospital and Health Service

Interim Consumer and Community Engagement StrategyTowards Better Health and Well-Being

Torres Strait and Northern PeninsulaHospital and Health Service

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Our CommitmentA key focus of our community engagement is to improve patient outcomes, by building better connections that link patients, their carers and communities with the Torres Strait-Northern Peninsula Hospital and Health Service.

The TS-NP HHS is committed to culturally responsive engagement with its diverse communities which will:

• demonstratewhole-of-organisationcommitment;

• ensurepatients,carersandthebroader community are involved in informeddecisionmakingabouttheirtreatment,careandwellbeing,atallstages,andwithappropriatesupport;

• provideevidence-based,accessibleinformationtosupportkeydecision-makingalongthecontinuumofcare;

• ensureconsumersandcommunitymembers are active participants intheplanning,improvementandevaluationofservicesonanongoingbasis; and

• activelycontributetobuildingthecapacityofconsumersandcommunity members to participate fullyandeffectivelyinhealthcareprovisionandplanningforthefuture.

Scope:AplatformtobuildbetterhealthThis document acts as the big picture guide to ensure our local consumers and thecommunitiescanworkwiththeTorresStrait-Northern Peninsula Hospital and Health Service (TS-NP HHS) about what itwants,andneeds,inhealthcare.

Thepurposeofthisstrategyistoprovidethefoundationstodevelopaplan,which will be developed by the TS-NP community,forthecommunity,andbecalled the TS-NP HHS Consumer and CommunityEngagementPlan(thePlan).

ThePlan,oncedeveloped,willworktowardsmeetingthespecifichealthcareneedsofthediversepatientpopulationsand communities within the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula that are served by theTS-NPHHS.ItisexpectedthatthePlanwillbereleasedbytheendofMarch2013.

This strategy aims to ensure the Plan will:

• developandimplementcommunityengagement actions;

• identifywhatissues,projectsandfocusareasneedconsultation;

• ensurecomprehensivecommunityconsultationinformstheidentificationoflocalhealthneedsandservicedecisions;

• ensurethemethodsforconsultationand service delivery are culturally appropriate;

• identifyandconsultwithmembersofthecommunitywhoare,orareatriskofexperiencingpoorhealthoutcomesorwhomayhavedifficultyaccessinghealth services;

• obtainconsumerinputtohelpidentifywhat quality improvements or changes willenabletheHHStomakebestuseofitsavailableresources;and

• followtheprinciplesofconsultation.

FoundedontherequirementsoftheHospital and Health Boards Act 2011 (Qld),thePlanwillalignwith:

• relevantnationalandstatestrategies,policies,agreementsandstandardsonprovidinghealthservices,includingClosing the Gap;

• theTS-NPHHSStrategicPlan,whichhasasitspurposetoworkincollaboration with the community in ordertodeliveraculturallyeffectiveand accessible health service thatprovidesafoundationforallgenerationstoliveafullandhealthylife;and

• theclinicianengagementstrategyand the protocols in place with local primaryhealthcareorganisations,to ensure a holistic approach to engagement.

KeyissuesforconsultationThisstrategywillfocusthePlan,andotherrelevantareasofworkfortheTS-NPHHS,toensurewehavediscussionswithconsumersandthecommunityabout:

• serviceplanninganddesign;

• howservicesaredelivered;

• monitoringandevaluationofservicestocontinuallyimproveservices;and

• futurehealthneedsandemergingissues.

Torres Strait and Northern PeninsulaHospital and Health Service

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WorkingTogetherDependingontheissuesforconsultation,adetailedactionplanfor2013willbeimplementedtoensureallmembersofourdiversecommunityhavetheopportunitytoactivelyparticipate.Theactionplancouldincludethefollowingmixoftools:

Level of participation

Outcome required

Tools: how we will achieve our goals

Inform ConsultInvolve and collaborate

Empower

Shareinformationtohelp the community understand the problem,alternatives,opportunities,and/orsolutions.

• Personalvisitsandinteraction

• Talkingwithlocalorganisations and interest groups

• Informalclubforums

• Communitymeetings

• Workshopswithinvited people

• Displays

• Information/Discussion Papers

• Localmedia

• Website

• Posters

• FocusGroups

• Interviews

• Online,socialmedia

• Opendays

• Quietlistening

• CommunityMeetings

• AdvisoryCommittees

• Conversations

• CommunityCabinet

• Yarning

• Interviews

• Photoandvideovoice

• Facetofacediscussions

• Interactivemeetings

• Scenarioplanning

• Workshops

Obtainfeedbackonanalysis,alternativesand/ordecisions.

Workwiththecommunity throughout the process to ensure concerns and aspirations are considered.

Partner with the community in each aspectofadecision,including developing alternatives and identifyingthepreferredsolution.

Ensurelocalknowledgeandexpertisesuccessfullyinformsandinfluencesdecisions.

** Elements drawn from International Association of Public Participation Australasia (2004) IPA2 Public Participation Spectrum.

Torres Strait and Northern PeninsulaHospital and Health Service

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Meaningful,EffectiveEngagementBy participating in issues that affect everyday life and well-being, community members can make invaluable contributions to the communities within Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula.

Assuch,thePlanwillbeimplementedwiththefollowingprinciplesofconsultationasitsbackbone,toensuremeaningfulandeffectiveengagement:

Principle Guide to implement

1. A shared process Developwithstakeholdersaconsultationprocessbynegotiating:• Scopeandtermsofreferencewhichidentifydecisionswhichare,andarenot,opentoinput• Expectationsandobjectives• Constraintsandboundaries• Roles,responsibilitiesandprotocols• Controlandenforcement• Waysandmeanstoshareresources• Monitoringandevaluationthatwillensurewecontinuallyimproveourservice• Waysofhandlingdisagreements

2. Trust and Respect • Buildtrustandrelationshipsfromtheoutset• Allparticipantsneedtoshowconsiderationandvalueeachotherasequalcontributorstothe

engagement process • Establish,maintainandenhancerelationshipswiththeTS-NPHHSexecutive,andotherkey

stakeholders

3. Commitment Demonstrate commitment to the process by:• Engagingallaffectedinterestsindefiningproblems,expectationsandobjectives• Followingthroughoncommitmentsmadeduringtheprocess• Incorporatinginputfromallparticipants• Maintainingaconstructive,problemsolvingprocess

4. Support • EngagementactivitieswillberesourcedtoensurethePlanobjectivescanbereasonablymet.

5. Responsiveness and Timeliness

Demonstrateflexibilityandresponsivenessby:• Recognisingthatpublicinvolvementisadynamicongoingprocess• Buildingflexibilityintotheprocess• Buildinginandusingfeedbackmechanisms• Evaluatingandmodifyingtheprocessinanongoingmanner• Sharinginformationearlyandoftentoassistallintereststoprepareandtobeknowledgeable• Provideearlyandadequatenoticeofopportunitiesforinvolvement

6. Shared Ownership, Accountability, and Evaluation

• Allparticipantsshareownershipoftheprocessanddecisions,andareresponsibleformonitoringandevaluatingtheimpactandoutcomes.

• Lessonslearntwillbeidentifiedandcommunicatedaswidelyaspossible.• Informationgainedthroughevaluationandmonitoringofserviceswillbecollatedandpublished.

7. Communication • Decisionsmadeandhowmemberparticipationinfluencedthosedecisionsshouldbecommunicatedtoallthoseinvolvedandaffectedbythedecision.

• Asummaryofthekeyissuesdiscussed,anddecisions,fromeachboardmeetingwillbepublishedmonthly.

• Communicationshouldensuresharedunderstandingsby: Listening Beinghonestandopen Using plain language Providingopportunitiesforinformationexchangeandmutualeducationaboutinterests,objectives

and values

Torres Strait and Northern PeninsulaHospital and Health Service

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Community engagement will ensure the Torres Strait-Northern Peninsula Hospital and Health Service is responsive to changing local needs.

Engagement is the process by which theneeds,perceptions,concernsandvaluesofpatients,theircarersandthebroader community are incorporated intoorganisationaldecisionmakingandprogramplanning,implementationandevaluation.

This strategy is underpinned by engagementwithfourstakeholdergroupswhich are:

• Individual/patient;

• Programandservice;

• Organisation;and

• Community.

To assist with developing and implementingthePlan,aCommunityAdvisoryGroup(CAG)and/orotherconsultation methods will be established inearly2013,andwillconsistofrepresentativesfromthecommunity,includingthosethatareatrisk,marginalisedanddisadvantaged.

Localpeoplewillbeinvitedtoparticipatein consultation and engagement withtheHHS.Peopleatriskofpoorhealthoutcomesorwhohavedifficultyaccessingserviceswillbeidentifiedbylocalhealthprofessionalsandinvitedto participate in consultation and engagementprocesses.

TotalCommunityInvolvementInformationSharing and EvaluationSo that consumers and community memberscanprovideinformedfeedbackinconsultationandengagementprocesses,TS-NPHHSwillprovideasummaryofthekeyissuesdiscussedanddecisions made in each board (or equivalent)meeting,subjecttoaboard’sobligationstoconfidentialityandprivacy.Thesummarieswillbe published monthly on TS-NP HHS’sinternetsite.

Theresultsofconsultationwithconsumers and the community willbefedbacktoTS-NPHHS’executivemanagementteam,managersoflocalservices,theLeadClinicianGroupandindiscussions with local primary healthcareorganisations.TS-NPHHSwillconsidertheinformationforservicedelivery,designandplanningdecisions.Resultingchangeswillbefedbacktoconsumers and the community bynewsletters,factsheetsandthroughlocalmedia.

Anannualsurveyofparticipantswill be conducted to measure theeffectivenessofconsultationmethods,theresultsofwhichwill assist with improving these processes.Theresultswillalsobecommunicated to consumers and thecommunityvianewsletters,factsheetsandlocalmedia.