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Consumer Participation
The Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) CRAG was first established in 1994 and is the only consumer reference group supporting a Tasmanian acute care hospital. Each member represents an important community health sector and is actively encouraged to engage with their sector to gather feedback, proactively communicating with our staff to support more effective consumer engagement. Sections represented are: youth, aged/older persons, disability, culturally and linguistically diverse (inc refugees), mental health, family (including paediatrics and carers), women’s health, men’s health, palliative, adult carers/support partners.
The group has participated in a number of activities in 2009, including discussions in Redevelopment RHH (capital investment program in place of New Royal Project), ongoing input into information sheets provided to patients on a range of issues, participation in development of building plans and models of care for proposed Southern Integrated care centres and ‘GP Super clinics’, review of communication materials for a range of RHH programs including Respecting Patient Choice, Open Disclosure and coordination of focussed stakeholder survey including staff (on issues regarding consumer input and satisfaction levels).
The RHH CRAG underwent review in mid 2009 to strengthen the groups focus and realign its future activities to a more strategic rather than operational level. The result is a streamlined group of individuals who positively represent the diversity and complexity of RHH consumers. Broadly, the CRAG aims to ensure that health consumers contribute to the development of health policy, planning, research and service delivery through the provision of education, advocacy, training, information services and community participation.
The principles that inform the work of the CRAG are those of confidentiality, consultation, social justice, anti-discrimination, access and equity and empowerment. Aligned with the group’s strategic focus, members are now being actively sought to participate in some of the hospital’s key governance committees.
Members Profiles
Raie Semmens
Being a member of CRAG brings together Raie’s concerns for the health of the community and her interest in, and respect for, the RHH which provides health care services to the community.
Raie trained in midwifery 44 years ago and after 17 years as a homemaker, and after completing a three month refresher course, returned to work at the RHH as an RN on the Orthopaedic ward for 14 years. Following this she worked for three years as a practice nurse in a very busy Doctors surgery.
Her experiences at the RHH and in general practice, caring from babies, through all stages of life, to the elderly, have given Raie a close view of the issues in health care presenting across the community today.
Teresa Grabek
With her links to the wider community Teresa is particularly interested in improving the quality of services delivered to persons from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as to older members of the community.
Having been a member of CRAG since 2003 Teresa has been involved in the development of the Interpreter Service, has taken part in forums and participated on interview panels for the RHH.
Teresa gains great satisfaction from working closely with staff from the Customer Service Unit and the Community Relations Unit to improve the experiences of consumers in their dealings with the RHH when accessing services.
Barbara Whitehouse
As a consumer representative on CRAG Barbara hopes to make a contribution to enable the RHH to maintain the high standards of care provided to patients and its excellence as a teaching hospital.
Barbara brings a wealth of experience to CRAG as she worked for 40 years in various hospitals as a RN and community health nurse. She has many contacts and interests in the wider community and has offered her services as a volunteer with numerous community organisations.
Barbara is proud to have trained as a Registered Nurse (RN) at the RHH and maintains a deep affection for the hospital.
Royal Hobart Hospital’s Volunteer Service
In February 2007, Royal Hobart Hospital’s Volunteer Service celebrated the 40th anniversary of its formation. Today the Volunteer Service is an integral part of hospital life and in the 2006 calendar year volunteers gave a total of 20,000 hours of service.
The 150 volunteers, ranging in age from 19 to 80, bring a vast range of skills into the hospital. Their activities include staffing the information desks, acting as hospital guides, arranging the loan of wheelchairs, undertaking “companion visits’, operating the refreshment service in the Specialist Clinics five days a week, providing a courier service within the hospital, helping in the mailroom and generally providing enormous support to patients and staff.
The dedication of members of the Volunteer Service is widely regarded as reflecting the generous spirit of the Tasmanian community. The reasons people give for their willingness to give their time and labour range from wanting to give something back to the hospital in return for its help in their recovery from an accident or illness, or simply the desire to help others.
All volunteers are provided with comprehensive training and, in addition, each volunteer undertakes orientation of between two and six weeks, depending on the duties required and the service group they join.
Anyone who would like to assist with either the Volunteer Service or the Consumer Reference Group should contact the Community & Consumer Advisory Service on 62227979.
Royal Hobart Hospital Auxiliaries
Of the 26 auxiliaries in the southern part of the State, eight work directly in support of Royal Hobart Hospital.
The largest of these is the Central Auxiliary which operates the kiosk. In early 2007, the Central Auxiliary passed the $2m mark in its fund-raising with the donation of six diathermy machines, to be used by surgeons to seal off small arteries or veins that previously would have been tied manually.
The auxiliaries have many different methods of raising funds, including catering for functions, raffles, soup and sandwich lunches and cake stalls. They meet regularly to discuss ways and means of raising funds to purchase items of equipment. They also provide gifts for patients each Christmas.
In 2006 the 400 people working through the 26 different auxiliaries raised approximately $300,000 towards the purchase of much needed equipment for their respective hospitals and health centres.
The work of auxiliaries ‘for the care, comfort and welfare of our communities’ is recognised annually with Lavender Week celebrations.
New auxiliary members are warmly welcomed. Please phone Auxiliary Liaison Officer Maree Cleary on 6222 8214, if you are interested in joining.