Consumer Engagement News & Events

Third national disability conference

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:43:00 +1200

Consumer Engagement

The third national disability conference from the Health and Disability Commissioner "Another complaint, another improvement. Towards better disability services."

Come and hear about the significance of 'speaking up'
Learn how making a complaint can help you and others
Find out how to turn complaints into a quality improvement tool

Speakers/presenters include:

Laurie Harkin (AM) - Disability Services Commissioner, Victoria, Australia
Anthony Hill - Health and Disability Commissioner
Paul Gibson - Disability Rights Commissioner, Human Rights Commission
Leaders of New Zealand's disability sector

Other conference highlights:

Informative sessions for consumers, service providers and professionals alike
Opportunities for networking with key people in the sector
Interactive sessions offering opportunities for discussion and questions
Trade display of disability-related products and services, and
Lots of fun and entertainment including dance and music workshops.

The Commission is sponsoring 20 consumers to attend the conference. For more information click here.

Consumer subsidy to attend Health and Disability Commissioner conference

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:08:00 +1200

Consumer Engagement

Consumers interested in attending the third annual Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) conference on Monday 17 June, can apply for subsidised registration from the Health Quality & Safety Commission.

20 spots are available to consumers and their family members or unpaid carers.

If you are a consumer or family member/unpaid carer and would benefit from subsidised registration to the conference, please contact Vanessa Creamer or Hemant Thakkar at the HDC on 0800 112 233.

Download the registration form here.

Clinical teams’ experiences of implementing shared decision making

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:45:30 +1200

Consumer Engagement

The Health Foundation’s MAGIC (Making good decisions in collaboration) improvement programme aims to support clinical teams in primary and secondary care to embed shared decision making with patients in their everyday practice.

This learning report demonstrates the experiences of seven of the primary care and hospital-based teams participating in the MAGIC programme (from the evaluation of the first phase of the programme). The stories draw on interviews with clinicians and patients.

The report is available to download and read in full text at http://www.health.org.uk/publications/implementing-shared-decision-making/.

For details about the full evaluation, and the programme as a whole, visit http://www.health.org.uk/magic.

Nominations for the National Maternity Monitoring Group Consumer Representation

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:50:00 +1200

Consumer Engagement

The NMMG is as an advisory group to the Ministry of Health and will report to the Director-General of Health. Secretariat support for the NMMG will be provided by the Ministry of Health or by an external provider procured by the Ministry of Health.

The role of the NMMG is to provide national-level oversight of the quality and safety of maternity services and provide advice to the Ministry of Health on priorities for improvement.

Collectively, the NMMG will have the following expertise:

expertise in epidemiological research and analysis of health data/statistics
experience and expertise in midwifery care
experience and expertise in specialist medical maternity care
expertise in Maori health
expertise in Pacific health
experience and expertise in representing a consumer perspective on maternity issues.

All applicants are required to have the following skills and attributes:

commitment to improving the quality and safety of maternity care
basic skills and confidence in working with and interpreting health data
critical appraisal skills
strong written and oral communication skills
strong personal integrity and ethical behaviour
ability to engage with the other members of the NMMG, contribute constructively, and work as part of a team.

Applications are due by 9am on Monday 27 May 2013. Further information is available on the Ministry of Health website.

Consumer representative Angela Litterick-Biggs featured in the Dominion Post

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:03:00 +1200

Consumer Engagement

In this article from the Dominion Post, Health Quality & Safety Commission consumer representative Angela Litterick-Biggs talks about her experience of living with terminal breast cancer. Angela is a consumer representative on the steering group for Commission's Altas of Healthcare Variation.

Read the full article on the Dominion Post website: Victory of living, even as cancer consumes you

Click the link below to see Angela Litteric-Biggs talk about her experience in our short video.

Consumer network report: International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership conference

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:49:00 +1200

Consumer Engagement

Background

The International initiative for mental health leadership (IIMHL) is a ‘government-to-government’ initiative. It is funded by the government of the seven participating countries, and includes national organisations recognising issues affecting the sector who want to promote mental health leadership.

These organisations are:

The National Mental Health Development Unit (England)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (USA)
The mental health directorate of the Ministry of Health (New Zealand)
The Scottish Executive (Scotland)
The Department of Health and Children (Ireland)
The Department of Health and Ageing (Australia)
The Ministry of Health and Canadian Mental Health Commission (Canada)

IIMHL seeks a future where everyone with a mental illness / mental health problems, and those who care for them, have access to effective treatment and support from communities and providers who have the knowledge and competence to offer services that promote recovery. To achieve this vision IIMHL provides an international infrastructure to identify and exchange information about effective leadership, management and operational practices in the delivery of mental health services.

For more information about IIMHL visit their website: www.iimhl.com.

Consumer reflection of IIMHL conference, by Gary Sutcliffe

This year, I joined the IIMHL and was invited to take part in an exchange hosted by East Tamaki Healthcare (PHO) and Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB) mental health management.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Innovation across the Lifespan: What does it take to make an impact?” The accompanying theme for this particular exchange was “Primary Mental Health: Integrating Mental & Physical Health at Primary Care Level.”

I have written a paper on my experience of being part of this exchange and I am very happy to share this with whoever wishes to read it.

The exchange was hosted by Tess Ahern (General Manager, Mental Health Services) and Peter Watson (Clinical Director, Counties Manukau DHB) and David Codyre (Clinical Lead, Mental Health East Tamaki Healthcare).

Fellow participants on this exchange were Lynne Lane (Mental Health Commissioner, Health & Disability Commission), Michael O’Connell (Clinical Nurse Director, Lakes DHB Mental Health & Addiction Service), Andrea Fox (Chief Medical Officer, Squirrel Hill Health Center, Pittsburgh, USA) and Patrick Geoghegan (Chief Executive, South Essex Partnership Trust, Wickford, UK). We were also joined by Ken Thompson, Chief Medical Officer for Recovery Innovations from Pittsburgh & Phoenix USA.

Presentations were made by:

East Tamaki Healthcare as part of the Nirvana Health Group, a significant and successful primary health organisation (PHO) based in East and South Auckland and extended to include West Auckland Healthcare.
South Essex Partnership (University NHS Foundation) Trust (SEPT), an organisation employing 7,500 staff and a budget of £350 million.
NZ Mental Health Commissioner Lynne Lane and information regarding the development of Blueprint II, staffing of mental health-focussed personnel at the Health & Disability Commission and the work plan for the next three years. The Commission is in the process of tendering for a real time feedback system to amplify the consumer experience
Counties Manukau DHB Very High Intensive User (VHIU) pilot programme with adult patients who have had five or more presentations to the emergency department in the previous 12 months.
Stanford Self-Management Programme and the evaluation of a six-week programme, led by peer leaders and involving people with long term conditions and/or people who care for these people. Tools used in this programme include the Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) and the Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale.
A visit to a Pathways community-based alternative to acute inpatient admission facility in Papatoetoe which is a partnership between mental health secondary services and the community-based NGO.
Professional leader of peer support specialists and the clinical head of adult mental health services of the Counties Manukau DHB and background to the establishment of Peer Support within clinical mental health services in the region
Mental Health service integration for youth within Counties Manukau DHB.
Te Rawhiti Community Mental Health Centre’s primary care initiative involving the introduction of psychology consult liaison clinics, meetings between GP’s, practice nurses and other community health care providers, GP practice nurse forums, GP telephone liaison, in-service training to police staff and a shared care programme for clients on Clozapine.
South Auckland Special Interest Group that was formed essentially to build the capacity of GP’s and practice nurses and in building relationships in the sector/region.

There are a number of power point presentations and other resources available should anyone wish to find out more.

The IIMHL conference followed the leadership exchange, and included two days of networking meetings, introductory speakers including Associate Ministers of Health Hon Peter Dunne and Hon Tariana Turia, Shelley Campbell CEO of the Sir Peter Blake Trust, and workshops exploring best-practice solutions and challenging issues for the future.

The workshops focussed on peer support and I attended a workshop facilitated by Shaun McNeil, a New Zealand based, Scottish born advocate, and Dr Dan Fisher, a renowned psychiatrist from Massachusetts, USA. The workshop covered the origins of peer support, frustrations with mental health services and the integration of peer support, transformation of the system to recovery-based practice and aspects of supervision for peers employed in the workforce.

The workshop also covered the integrity of peer support, educational issues for top leaders in organisations and their understanding of the integrity of peer support, and that this is not about adding another layer of support but rather about the development of a mutually empowering relationship between the person accessing the service and the peer support worker. The message for organisational leaders is that if they do not consider the introduction of peer support as integral to their service operational practices then don’t engage peers!

There was discussion, some of it led by Mary O’Hagan former Mental Health Commissioner, as to standards of practice for peers, led by peers and a need for guidelines for organisations in engaging peers. The importance of ethics and values were underscored and ongoing work to clearly define boundaries when working as a peer support worker.

I am very happy to talk or meet with anyone who would like to know more about the IIMHL or about the leadership exchange or conference. I am also willing to share a more detailed report paper I have written regarding the leadership exchange to anyone who wishes to read this. Please contact me on info@hqsc.govt.nz.

Pharmacists’ critical role in health literacy and medicine safety

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:44:00 +1200

Consumer Engagement

Article courtesy of Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand

Providing education, skills and resources about health literacy for health professionals can result in improved health outcomes for patients, writes Dr Janice Wilson, Chief Executive for the Health Quality & Safety Commission.

The Health Quality & Safety Commission (the Commission) recently initiated a health literacy demonstration project within two community pharmacies. The project aims to build on the health literacy knowledge and skills of key pharmacy staff to improve communication with patients.

Research indicates that providing education, skills and resources about health literacy for health professionals can result in improved health outcomes for patients. This project responds to a report prepared for the Commission in 2011 that made the following observations:[1]

The sector’s understanding of how to improve health literacy appears limited, and there are very few examples of purposive health literacy improvement work in medication safety.
Most health practitioners appear largely unaware of adult learning theory or practice as a body of knowledge.
There are significant advantages in applying learning theory techniques across different topic areas and content types. These can reasonably be presumed to be replicable across health and safety topics, provided health practitioners know how to apply them.
Although it is important to address health literacy at ‘systemic’ and ‘organisational’ level, the most immediate task for the health sector is to up-skill the health workforce in applying learning theory to health service delivery.
It is a priority to demonstrate to community pharmacy that health literacy improvement in medication safety is broader than providers simply providing written information and very brief verbal information to patients.

The report recommended that the Commission initiate a demonstration project in community pharmacy based on health literacy improvement.

Demonstration sites

Two community pharmacies have embraced the challenges of the Health Literacy Medication Safety project and volunteered to be involved.

Hillpark Care Chemist is a community pharmacy in South Auckland that has a diverse multi-cultural population. Pharmacist owner Kathy Maxwell employs five pharmacists and an intern.

Vivian Pharmacy in New Plymouth offers medicine and advice to a large number of rest homes, mental health services and individuals in their homes. Pharmacist owner Catherine Keenan employs seven other pharmacists and six technicians.

“Health literacy is such an interesting area and I feel that the tools from the project will add to our communication skills as pharmacists,” says Catherine. “The teams at the Commission and Workbase are great to work with and our busy pharmacy is an ideal place to put these tools into practice. Good communication is the key to making sure our patients use their medicine in a safe and appropriate way.”

Project phases

The first phase of the project involved developing a training programme and tools based on internationally recognised approaches. The Commission contracted Workbase to develop and pre-test these with a group of pharmacists and pharmacy representatives. After user-testing, Workbase refined the programme and tools to ensure they were fit for purpose and useful within the context of a busy community pharmacy.

In late January, Kathy Maxwell and Catherine Keenan attended a train-the-trainer day facilitated by Workbase in Auckland. Kathy and Catherine will receive on-going support and assistance from Workbase and the Commission’s medication specialists as they teach their staff to apply the tools over the three month demonstration period.

The project is being evaluated, and the results will inform recommendations for applying the approach more widely across the health and disability sector and within continuing education programmes.

Pharmacists who choose to raise their own awareness, and teach their staff about health literacy, have much to gain personally and professionally. They are the key change-agents for improved communication, better understanding and medicine safety within their communities.

[1] Health literacy and medication safety: environmental scan of tools, resources, systems, repositories, processes and personnel. Wellington: New Zealand Guidelines Group; 2011.

Pharmacists’ critical role in health literacy and medicine safety

Article courtesy of Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand

The sector’s understanding of how to improve health literacy appears limited, and there are very few examples of purposive health literacy improvement work in medication safety.
Most health practitioners appear largely unaware of adult learning theory or practice as a body of knowledge.
There are significant advantages in applying learning theory techniques across different topic areas and content types. These can reasonably be presumed to be replicable across health and safety topics, provided health practitioners know how to apply them.
Although it is important to address health literacy at ‘systemic’ and ‘organisational’ level, the most immediate task for the health sector is to up-skill the health workforce in applying learning theory to health service delivery.
It is a priority to demonstrate to community pharmacy that health literacy improvement in medication safety is broader than providers simply providing written information and very brief verbal information to patients.

The report recommended that the Commission initiate a demonstration project in community pharmacy based on health literacy improvement.

Demonstration sites

Two community pharmacies have embraced the challenges of the Health Literacy Medication Safety project and volunteered to be involved.

Hillpark Care Chemist is a community pharmacy in South Auckland that has a diverse multi-cultural population. Pharmacist owner Kathy Maxwell employs five pharmacists and an intern.

Project phases

The project is being evaluated, and the results will inform recommendations for applying the approach more widely across the health and disability sector and within continuing education programmes.

[1] Health literacy and medication safety: environmental scan of tools, resources, systems, repositories, processes and personnel. Wellington: New Zealand Guidelines Group; 2011.

Pharmacists’ critical role in health literacy and medicine safety

Article courtesy of Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand

• The sector’s understanding of how to improve health literacy appears limited, and there are very few examples of purposive health literacy improvement work in medication safety.

• Most health practitioners appear largely unaware of adult learning theory or practice as a body of knowledge.

• There are significant advantages in applying learning theory techniques across different topic areas and content types. These can reasonably be presumed to be replicable across health and safety topics, provided health practitioners know how to apply them.

• Although it is important to address health literacy at ‘systemic’ and ‘organisational’ level, the most immediate task for the health sector is to up-skill the health workforce in applying learning theory to health service delivery.

• It is a priority to demonstrate to community pharmacy that health literacy improvement in medication safety is broader than providers simply providing written information and very brief verbal information to patients.

The report recommended that the Commission initiate a demonstration project in community pharmacy based on health literacy improvement.

Demonstration sites

Two community pharmacies have embraced the challenges of the Health Literacy Medication Safety project and volunteered to be involved.

Hillpark Care Chemist is a community pharmacy in South Auckland that has a diverse multi-cultural population. Pharmacist owner Kathy Maxwell employs five pharmacists and an intern.

Project phases

The project is being evaluated, and the results will inform recommendations for applying the approach more widely across the health and disability sector and within continuing education programmes.

Pharmacists’ critical role in health literacy and medicine safety

Article courtesy of Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand

• The sector’s understanding of how to improve health literacy appears limited, and there are very few examples of purposive health literacy improvement work in medication safety.

• Most health practitioners appear largely unaware of adult learning theory or practice as a body of knowledge.

The report recommended that the Commission initiate a demonstration project in community pharmacy based on health literacy improvement.

Demonstration sites

Two community pharmacies have embraced the challenges of the Health Literacy Medication Safety project and volunteered to be involved.

Hillpark Care Chemist is a community pharmacy in South Auckland that has a diverse multi-cultural population. Pharmacist owner Kathy Maxwell employs five pharmacists and an intern.

Project phases

The project is being evaluated, and the results will inform recommendations for applying the approach more widely across the health and disability sector and within continuing education programmes.

Health literacy literature review

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +1200

Consumer Engagement

Workbase has prepared a health literacy literature review for the Health Quality & Safety Commission. The review provides an overview of evidence-based health literacy education, training tools and resources for health professionals available in New Zealand and overseas.

The literature review has provided guidance for the Health Literacy Medication Safety demonstration project that the Commission has initiated. The project aims to provide key staff in two community pharmacies with information and tools to increase their understanding of health literacy, adult learning theory and communication skills.

The demonstration runs until June of this year and an evaluation and results will be available by the end of July.

A copy of the review is available by clicking the link below.

Kath Ryan: Life's a risk

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:58:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

In this article from Medical Journal of Australia e-newsletter InSight, editor Kath Ryan shares her thoughts on doctor-patient communication, after a recent experience with a specialist.

Is communication a skill that can be learned, or is it an art in which only some people excel? It’s a question that can be perplexing – particularly when it comes to doctor-patient communication. Why do some doctors find it so easy to communicate with patients, while others leave you wondering why they didn’t choose a non-clinical career? After more than 20 years of communicating with doctors on a professional basis in medical publishing, that perplexing aspect of doctor–patient communication became quite stark during my recent encounter with a specialist.

Read the full article here.

Consumer group improves health literacy understanding

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:58:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

Consumer participation is an important part of health literacy. This article describes the work of Waitakere Health Link’s Consumer Reference Group to translate complex health information into plain English.

Judith Lunney, Health Link consumer representative.

One of the most important tools for a happy life is being able to manage your own health. To achieve this goal an understanding of any health conditions you have and how to administer and manage any necessary medication yourself is essential. Health literacy is defined below but, put simply, it is being able to manage your own health as a tool for a happy life.

According to the Ministry of Health, heath literacy is ‘the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions’. Information in health leaflets/booklets is the main tool used by consumers to obtain the information they need.

Providing easy to understand information is the focus of the work of Waitakere’s Health Link Consumer Reference Group (CRG).

This cheerful dedicated group of volunteers work with Waitakere Health Link to ensure any information distributed to consumers is in simple language. The group is made up of a variety of consumers from various backgrounds and walks of life, and they meet each month to examine leaflets received from health providers. The aim is to examine, discuss, and translate these leaflets into plain English to help understanding.

Over the last year the Waitakere Health Link CRG has processed 93 leaflets. Some months two meetings are needed to keep up. Our feedback is always welcomed and we work cooperatively with the various groups that send us the leaflets and booklets to review. Our ‘Keep it Simple’ motto was illustrated in a poster submitted to the Waitemata Health Excellence awards in November 2012, where it received an award.

The group recognises the value of health literacy and realises that low health literacy is a barrier to accessing good health care, resulting in poor health status, more hospital admissions, and difficulty to independently manage their own health. People become 'sicker' before seeking help if they do not understand their own condition.

Various leaflets and booklets are submitted to the group for review from staff of the Waitakere District Health Board and are allocated to the monthly meetings where, after review, they are sent back to the staff with suggestions for improvements.

Improvements focus on clear, simple language, removing jargon and long medical terms where possible, organising the information into simple statements, and using photos, colour, and diagrams where possible.

It is early 2013 and there is a lot of enthusiasm within the group. While those involved come and go, there are always six willing participants to share the work.

Consumer advisor sought for New Zealand Venous Leg Ulcer Advisory Panel

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:15:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

The New Zealand Leg Ulcer Advisory Panel is seeking a consumer advisor to work alongside them and advise on how to implement and evaluate the newly developed guidelines for prevention and management of venous leg ulcers.

This position requires a consumer who has had experience of venous leg ulcers either through their own experience or through a close family member who they have provided direct support to.

It is expected that the consumer advisor will have established consumer networks through association with consumer groups and/or communities. These networks will ensure that the consumer advisor brings a range of relevant and current perspectives and knowledge to the table.

More information and a copy of the position description can be accessed below:

New guidelines for prevention and management of venous leg ulcers
Download the position description
Contact Jeannette Henderson, 74 Fergusson Road, RD9, Fielding 4779 or administrator@nzwcs.org.nz.

Consumer advisory group members sought - Health & Disability Commissioner

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:28:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC), Anthony Hill, invites applications for membership to his Consumer Advisory Group.

What does membership involve?

The role of the Advisory Group is to provide advice and feedback to the Commissioner on a range of topics:

Handling of consumer complaints about health and disability services
Improving the quality of health and disability services
Public interest issues where HDC can take a lead
Promotion and education.

A position description and further information can be downloaded below. Applications should be made directly to the HDC.

Downloads

HDC consumer advisory group - call for applications

HDC consumer advisory group - position description

HDC consumer advisory group - application form

Research shows the need for consumers to understand drug safety information

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:45:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

Using telephone interviews with 87 adults this New Zealand study sought to explore drug safety knowledge, experience of adverse drug reactions and preferred sources for drug safety information of consumers.

Drug safety information is considered important for consumers when learning about their medicines.Surprisingly this is not evident in the findings despite a high confidence amongst consumers that they do know how to use medicines in a safe and effective way.

Doctors are a trusted source of information, as are other health professionals including pharmacists. However, not everyone visits a doctor to seek drug information and so other sources of reliable information are needed. With advancing technology and social media these new communication channels need further development as a source of convenient information for consumers.

Read the full article by clicking on the link below.

BMJ article: review of the links between patient experience and clinical safety and effectiveness

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:28:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

Patient experience is increasingly recognised as one of the three pillars of quality in health care alongside clinical effectiveness and patient safety. In the NHS, the measurement of patient experience data to identify strengths and weaknesses of health care delivery, drive-quality improvement, inform commissioning and promote patient choice is now mandatory. In addition to data on harm avoidance or success rates for treatments, providers are now assessed on aspects of care such as dignity and respect, compassion and involvement in care decisions. In England, these data are published in Quality Accounts and the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation payment framework which makes a proportion of care providers’ income conditional on the improvement in this domain

This systematic study, reported in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), explores evidence on the links between patient experience and clinical safety and effectiveness outcomes. It was conducted in a wide range of settings including hospitals and primary care centres, and included a wide range of demographic and age groups.

Click here to read the full article.

Communicating your experience-based design project

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:28:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

Anne Tacon (ADoN Mental Health, West Coast DHB) and Adam Gilshnan (Health Navigator PHO) share an example of newsletters they have developed to inform others about their experience-based design project.

The project is an initiative by the West Coast DHB and supported by the Health Quality & Safety Commission. It is aimed at helping identify areas for service improvement that is based on the experience of patients.

Copies of the newsletters are available by clicking the link below.

Research highlights need to simplify health information

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:14:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

New research into health literacy levels across England has shown that health information is too complex and that 42 percent of people aged between 16 and 65 years are unable to effectively understand and use everyday health information. This figure rises to 61 percent when the information also requires numeracy skills.

This means between 15 -21 million people across the country are not accessing the information they need to become and stay healthy.

Read the full article on the London South Bank University website.

Consumers share their health sector experiences

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:01:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

Consumers provided first-hand accounts of their experiences of the health and disability sector at a conference held by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and General Practice New Zealand in Auckland in September.

Dr Chris Walsh, Senior Advisor Consumer Engagement with the Commission, chaired a panel of patients and consumers on the first afternoon.

Gary Sutcliffe spoke about his depression triggered by a business failure while18-year-old Jordy Jamieson talked about life since being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 10. Rowena Mortimer spoke about her work as a member on different governance and policy-making boards since her diagnosis of breast cancer and Robert Somerville spoke of his relationships with a succession of doctors since an accident in 1978.

Their stories provided the 500 conference attendees with unique insights into the experience of health care and the importance of supportive, effective relationships between consumers and health professionals.

Radio NZ talks to physician and behavioural scientist Peter Ubel

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:19:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

In this interview Kim Hill (Radio New Zealand) probes the challenging doctor patient relationship with author Peter Ubel who argues that doctors need to have good communication skills to work in partnership with their patients.

Ubel says that good information is not enough for patients to be involved in making decisions about their treatment and care, and that they need a doctor who can communicate with them. He says that medical schools should teach more about the psychology of decision making and communication science because these attributes are what patients look for in their doctor.

He encourages people who are going to their first visit with their specialist to prepare by informing themselves as much as possible, bring a friend or trusted other person and ask the doctor if you can tape the visit.

Ubel also touches on the tricky terrain of doctors being influenced by drug companies and what he refers to as unconscious financial incentives that impact on doctors behaviours.

Listen to the interview: Peter Ubel doctors and patients

Consumer network members share their health sector experiences

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:39:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

At the Commission’s first consumer network meeting in September, members of the network recorded a set of personal narratives for the Commission’s website.

The short videos cover the background of our network representatives and outline their first-hand experiences with the health sector.

“It is these experiences that give our network members the ability to understand the consumer perspective,” says Dr Chris Walsh, senior advisor consumer engagement, and consumer network chair.

“Their stories are very powerful and it’s great that they are prepared to share these deeply personal stories with the Commission, and the wider public, for the betterment of health care in New Zealand.”

The first of the videos are now available on the Commission’s website, with the final set to be uploaded by the end of the year.

Click here to view the consumer network stories.

Electronic sharing of health information - Ministry of Health update

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:26:00 +1300

Consumer Engagement

The Ministry of Health's National Health IT Board recently held a series of public and community seminars on the electronic sharing of health information. The seminars were held in Auckland, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Invercargill, from July to September 2012.

They provided an update on changes to the way health information is shared electronically, and an opportunity to discuss the issues and what they might mean for future interactions with health professionals.

A document summarising the discussions, questions, concerns and major themes is now available on the Ministry of Health website.

The Ministry is happy to provide articles on the electronic sharing for health information for organisations' newsletters, intranets and websites. If you would like an article developed for you, please contact Robyn Nicholl.

There will be further opportunities to provide feedback on this work, and you can stay informed by visiting http://www.health.govt.nz/sharedhealthinfo.

Click here to view the latest Towards 2014 October newsletter.