IT works for you? Me too! A consumer view. Presented by Jo Fitzpatrick, CE Group and Pam Freeman, HSA Global, at HINZ 2014, 11 November 2014, 12.22pm, Marlborough Room

1. Working with consumers
A brief introduction with resources
Introduction
Minimal value,
degree of
engagement and
cost
_________
Awareness
Information
Involvement
Consultation
Involvement
Collaboration
Empowerment
Maximal
value,
engagement and
cost
Patient
centred
care
Newsletters,
communications
Complaints analysis
Patient satisfaction questionnaires
One off consultations
Co-Design
Consumers are valued and respected members of
planning, design and implementation teams
Co -Design
Consumer led initiatives encouraged, endorsed and supported
Consumers are included in governance
There are a number of ways to involve consumers in health care and health care services.
This table summarises the main ones in a matrix which includes the degree of consumer
engagement they each offer, their value and the likely costs. All of them are valid and
legitimate and all of you will be somewhere on the pyramid.
As you consider decisions on how and when to involve consumers in health care, the trick
is to match the method you will use to the desired result - taking into account the
resources you have available.
We don’t have time today to examine each of these in detail but a good introductory
resource is: http://health.qld.gov.au/hcq/publications/consumer-engagement.pdf and the
Whanganui DHB Consumer Engagement Toolkit.

2. Basic Principles
There are a number of useful New Zealand resources on consumers and consumer
representation.
 From the Health Quality and Safety Commission
A brand new resource ‘The Health and Disability Consumer Representative Training
Guide’ is now available. Here are the details off the HSQC website
The Health and Disability Consumer Representative Training Guide
 Facilitators' training guide and education and training package to help health and disability consumer
participate confidently when sharing their views and experiences in decision-making forums across
the sector.
 This publication can be copied freely by health and disability support services for education and
training purposes. Please acknowledge the Health Quality & Safety Commission in any
reproductions.
 The Commission has produced a list of consumers who have received training and can deliver
training to consumers.
It is available here:
http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/consumer-engagement/publications-and-resources/
publication/1840/
 From the Ministry of Consumer Affairs
These documents are oldies but goodies.
Consumer representation [About CA] 1%
What consumer representatives do, how to be a consumer representative and how to recruit one.
What is consumer representation? [About CA] 1%
A guide to what consumer representation is all about, and Consumer Affair's role in consumer
representation.
Being a consumer representative [About CA] 1%
Includes roles and responsibilities, interests and conflicts of interest, being effective in meetings,
networking and the Consumer Representative Network.
Consulting consumers [About CA] 1%
Effective consultation is a genuine exchange of views between people who have the knowledge and
experience to confront the issues.
Recruiting consumer representatives [About CA] 1%
Includes information on why you should have a consumer representative, the recruiting of effective
consumer representatives, qualities of an effective consumer ...
Consumer representation – guidelines for chairpersons [About CA] 1%
How Chairpersons help consumer representatives be effective, problems encountered by consumer
representatives and the Consumer Representative Network.
Consumer representation [About CA] 1%
Information to assist consumer representatives and those wishing to appoint consumer
representatives.

3. Payment and Compensation Guidelines
These vary depending which level you choose on the pyramid. At the higher levels, where there is
no consumer involvement, costs and compensation are small. The further down you go, the more it
will cost you in terms of administration and payment for consumers. But the potential for cost
savings and benefits also increase exponentially.
A good rule of thumb is to start by ensuring consumer involvement isn’t costing them eg in parking,
mileage and petrol.
You need to add to these basic expenses, consideration for their time and expertise.
Here are two NZ guides on payment for consumers.
HQSC : http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/assets/Consumer-Engagement/Resources/policy-paying-consumers-
Sep-2014.pdf
Cabinet paper guideline : http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/circulars/coc-12-06.pdf
Useful Contacts
NHITB Consumer Forum
Contact: Stephanie Fletcher, Chair
Email: nhitbconsumerpanel@yahoo.co.nz
Website: ithealthboard.health.nz/health-it-groups/consumer-panel
Health Quality and Safety Commission
Contact: Chris Walsh
Email: christine.walsh@hqsc.govt.nz
Website: www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/consumer engagement/
Ministry of Consumer Affairs
Contact: Consumer Representative Nominations Service, Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment
Email:consumerrep@mbie.govt.nz
An electronic copy of this document (so you can click on the links) is available from:
jofitzpatrick@hotmail.com
pam.freeman@hsaglobal.net