The Advisory Committee for the Friends of the Alliance (the FAC) would like the voice of the rural health consumer to be more strongly represented in its work.
FAC Chair Chris Moorhouse said:
“We intend to pursue opportunities for the consumer/carer voice of National Rural Health Alliance to be more actively involved in the Friends’ activities.”
“We encourage Friends to make their views on health issues known to their State or Territory delegates on the FAC. The Committee will then be better informed when discussing proposed priorities for our work.”
There are so many consumers and carers who have done the hard yards out there and the FAC wants to hear from them. Rural and remote health issues are quite unique and come from the many different experiences of individuals whose circumstances are determined by their health condition, their isolation and access to services, their physical and financial means, the degree of family support they receive, their relationship with clinicians and so much more.
It is important to the Alliance to have 'the consumer voice' at the table. Two national organisations that have been longstanding members of the Alliance have been consistent leaders in this: the Country Women’s Association of Australia, and the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association. Both organisations have a representative on the Alliance's Council, as does Friends of the Alliance.
Other Alliance members – including health professionals, researchers, students and service providers also provide a consumer perspective and make the point that everyone is a health consumer at one time or another.
So please help us - we want Friends and the Alliance to be driven more by the views and voices of individual consumers and carers. Greater consumer membership in Friends will help with this.
Free membership of Friends of the Alliance for consumers and carers
If you are a passionate consumer health advocate or carer and would like to join Friends of the Alliance, you can join for the remainder of this financial year for FREE! Visit the Friends website for more information: http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/friends
Individual membership from July 2018 – June 2019 will be $77.
Concession membership from July 2018 – June 2019 will be $55.
See http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/friends for organisational membership rates.
Contact your state or territory Advisory Committee representative via [email protected]
Catch up with Friends in Hobart at the 15th National Rural Health Conference, March 2019
Members of Friends are eligible for discounted registration for the National Rural Health Conference and there will be a number of Friends activities at the event. If you have any suggestions for an activity in Hobart contact the Conference Manager, Leanne Coleman, on 02 6285 4660.
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