Engagement with consumers and the community - Yorke and Northern Local Health Network

Consumer feedback

We would love to hear from you about your experience with our Health Services.
More information, including how to provide feedback go to the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Consumer Feedback webpage.

Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy 2020-2025

The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network value consumer and community engagement to support the continual improvement of our health services.

Under the Health Care Act, the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network governing board is committed to consulting with consumers and community to develop, implement and monitor a Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy.

The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network are pleased to announce that the Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy 2020-2025 (PDF 8MB) is now available. 

Our purpose

We are committed to genuinely engage with and listen to our consumers and the community when delivering, planning and evaluating our health services.

Our aim

The Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy will guide ways to engage consumers and people in our community to ensure they have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the health service.

By developing diverse engagement opportunities for communities our local health network serves, we can learn and understand their needs and how we can deliver improved consumer-focused health services.

Our goals

  • Create opportunities to encourage consumer participation and partnership to develop better consumer-focused health services.
  • Be innovative, flexible and inclusive and design our engagement methods to reach everyone, including vulnerable people in our community.
  • Empower consumers to be partners in their own health care and encourage and support feedback at every opportunity.

Our priorities

  • Embed partnering with consumers into our culture
  • Involve consumers to contribute to how services look and feel
  • Keep consumers informed and engaged with all aspects of the service
  • Encourage consumer feedback at every opportunity

You can view the Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy 2020 - 2025 Summary (PDF 1MB) or read the Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy 2020-2025 (PDF 8MB) in full.

A Consumer and Community Engagement Plan will support the goals identified in the Strategy. If you would like to know more, provide feedback or be a part of the engagement opportunities available across the LHN, you can contact us by: 

Community Network and Consumer Representative vacancies

Yorke and Northern Local Health Community Network

The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Community Network is a consumer register which enables consumers and members of the community to engage with their local health services at a level that they choose.

The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network seek input and advice from Community Network members that will help inform health services on a range of consumer-related areas including service review and development.

How to apply to be a Consumer Representative

We value diversity and encourage all community members to apply. Please complete the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Community Network Registration Form for express your interest in becoming a Consumer Representative.

If you have any questions or would like more information about consumer engagement opportunities, please contact Health.YNLHNConsumerFeedback@sa.gov.au or Telephone (08) 8638 4438 for more information.

Consumer representatives on committees / workgroups

Consumers and community members are invited to represent consumers and carers across the Local Health Network Governance committees. Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander persons as well as members that are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) are encouraged to apply. Below are the some existing YNLHN committees that include consumer representatives within the membership:

  • Consumer and Community Engagement Board Committee
  • Operational Consumer and Community Engagement Committee
  • Partnering with Consumers Committee
  • Quality Risk and Safety Operating Committees (QRSOC)
  • Service Planning Steering Groups
  • Aboriginal Health Community Groups

As a consumer representative on a committee or working group, representatives will be required to:

  • promote the interests of consumers, present how consumers may feel and think about specific issues
  • report activities of the committee to consumers, ensure accountability to consumers
  • flag the need for the committee to undertake consumer consultation where necessary.

Consumer representative will undertake orientation and be introduced to a support person before commencing on a committee. For further information, please email Health.YNLHNConsumerFeedback@sa.gov.au

Health Advisory Councils

In regional areas of South Australia HACs ensure that the strong link between communities and their health services are maintained.

There are eight Health Advisory Councils in the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network:

For further information about the HACs , visit the Regional Health Advisory Councils page.

Aboriginal Health Consumer Engagement

The Aboriginal Community and Consumer Engagement Strategy (ACCE) has been developed to help create health services that are co-designed by consumers, responsive to the patient, carer and consumer input and to value consumer participation.

The Aboriginal Health Experts by Experience (EbE) Register is the flagship of the ACCE and is a register of Aboriginal consumers, patients, parents, carers or significant others who have self-nominated to be involved in public health planning to improve the health outcomes of their families and communities.

For more information, see: Aboriginal Health

Mental Health Consumer Engagement

Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Mental Health Services are actively recruiting to a Lived Experience Register for both consumers and carers with the support of the Experts by Experience Service Development Officers within Rural and Remote Mental Health Service. Consumers and carers are fully inducted/trained to perform their roles and those on the register participate in employee selection panels and committees etc. as required.

Each Mental Health Team has a Team Champion who supports the implementation and monitoring of the consumer and carer participation program, which operates across all country LHNs mental health services, under the guidance of the Experts by Experience Service Development Officers within Rural and Remote Mental Health Service.

For more information, see: Mental Health Lived Experience Register