NSW Health WSLHD Safety & Quality Account 2020-21

Improving the patient carer experience

Community and Consumer Engagement

The Community and Consumer Partnership Framework (2021-2025) outlines four priorities to engage Consumer Representatives and staff to partner and progress safety and quality initiatives in WSLHD.

This framework guides how Western Sydney Local Health District will partner with consumers and communities to improve the health and wellbeing of Western Sydney communities from 2021-2025 Community and Consumer Partnership Framework 2021-2025 Western Sydney Local Health District

Above: Nepean Therapy Dogs visit patients at Westmead Hospital. Motorcycle crash victim Johnathon took the chance to pet one of the dogs while being transported to surgery.

Communicating, listening, responding

Initial feedback from ward rounds The overall feedback from the ward rounds was positive across the four hospitals, with many patients commending the excellent technical skill and compassion from the staff in their unit. Some of the common themes raised for improvement were inter-hospital transfers and ensuring the patient and families are well informed during this time. All feedback was returned to the respective facility executive team who are developing an action plan to address the items raised by patients. Westmead Foundation have sponsored Therapy Dogs to come to Westmead hospital each week for a year. Two wards will be identified where the therapy dogs would bring most benefit and they will visit each week. This allows staff to build the visits into the ward schedule and to support promotion of the service to patients.

The Framework reaffirms and builds on our approach to support Consumer Representatives and staff to co-design and partner on health care planning, design, delivery, measurement and evaluation of care. PRIORITY 1: We will ensure the numbers, diversity, capacity and capability of a trusting and respectful community of Consumer Representatives to partner with WSLHD staff • 65% of new Consumer Representatives are from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background or have a disability/ are a carer. • Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers has commenced for the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island Community Consumer Council (starting in FY23) • Four new Community Councils were also launched to bring the community perspective and share health resources including COVID-19 information. PRIORITY 2: WSLHD will support staff to develop increased capacity to partner with consumers, with a measurable annual improvement in staff satisfaction and skill in partnership • Consumer Representatives were members of 49 interview panels to interview staff for new roles in FY22. • Consumer Representatives are members of over 40 committees in WSLHD and there were 43 EOIs for new committees or co-design initiatives (Jan-June 22). • Eight Consumer Representatives partnered with Blacktown Hospital to support accreditation, involved in environmental audits and attended ‘What Matters to you’ days to ask, listen and do ‘what matters’ to improve shared decision making. A further three Consumer Representatives are engaged across the District as patient actors and to support newly diagnosed patients. Consumer Representatives were also invited to be judges for the Quality Awards.

Westmead Therapy dogs return to the hospital. Left to right: Erika Marquez (Physiotherapist), Grace Niccol (Occupational Therapist), Louise (Nepean Therapy dogs), Johnson Choi (Physiotherapist), Michelle Lam (Physiotherapist) with Cleo (dog).

20