The report provides an evidence-based summary of:
- international and New Zealand literature on consumer voice and consumer participation in the health sector
- current consumer participation activities in the health sector in New Zealand
- international models of consumer bodies and networks.
The report was commissioned to inform consumers, policy makers/funders and health care providers, so that options for active health consumer participation can move forward.
Purpose
- To strengthen the consumer sector in New Zealand
- To improve participation of health and disability consumers in decision-making within the health sector.
Key Results
- In New Zealand community involvement in health is a very long-standing tradition
- New Zealand lacks a strong national consumer voice and there is no organised system of networking or sharing information within the sector or for government agencies or providers to engage with consumers
- There is some evidence, particularly from Australia, the UK, and the USA, that consumer participation can lead to improvements in health services
- Independent advocacy is another form of participation that can occur alongside involvement in the health sector
- A strong consumer sector needs government support and acknowledgement
- Participation should be a partnership at every stage. Only through power-sharing will participation deliver the benefits which everyone in the health sector hopes for
- The Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia provides a good model for a national consumer body
- An alternative model would be a consortium approach, with representatives of disability and mental health national bodies combining in some way with health consumers.