Community Advisory Committee of the Southern Health Board

Welcome

Committee helps us listen to the community

Southern Health established a Community Advisory Committee in April 2001, following legislative changes to the Health Services Act arising from the Ministerial Review of Healthcare Networks in 2000.

Its role is to advise the Board and ensure the community participates in Southern Health’s planning, service delivery and policy development.

The Committee comprises twelve members who have strong links with the broader community and includes three Southern Health Board members.

Colleen Berryman is the Executive Officer supporting the Committee.

“The establishment of the Community Advisory Committee provides a great opportunity to build on the significant work the Service has already undertaken to involve our community and advises the Board on key decisions which impact on the community”, says Mr Naim Melhem, Southern Health Board member and Committee Chairperson.

The Committee has contributed to Southern Health’s Strategic Plan and the annual Quality of Care Reports. It provides resources and advice on involving community and consumers in health decision making as well as contributing to the quality improvement activity of Southern Health. It has provided comment on several issues referred from the Board, such as the Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Policy, Respecting Patient Chioces Project, Open Disclosure Policy, Hospital Admission Risk Chronic Disease Management Program, Monash Clayton Emergency Department Redevelopment, Outpatients redevelopment and Rights & Responsibilities brochure.

The Committee has developed a Community Participation Plan, which was endorsed by the Board. It outlines community and consumer participation strategies for Southern Health and provides a means for feedback and accountability from these activities.

The Plan matches the Southern Health Strategic Goal Areas: Safe and Effective Care, Appropriate Services and Configuration, Accessible Services Collaboration and Engagement, and Developing our people; each with a number of actions to achieve Southern Health’s vision of working in partnership with our consumers and communities of interest.

For further details about the Committee and its role, or consumer and community participation, please contact:

Colleen Berryman
Executive Officer,
Community Advisory Committee,

Telephone: (03) 9709 7176
Email: colleen.berryman@southernhealth.org.au 

| Terms of reference | Committee Membership | Community Participation Plan | Strategies for Consumer & Community Participation | Other Resources