WELCOME

Facilitating meaningful public participation

As the Director, Consumer and Community Engagement, my role is to assist

consumers and members of the community to influence decisions in the organisation

and care practices. There is a growing use of public participation processes in the

community; but in healthcare, the engagement role differs from that in other

government and non-government institutions. In typical public participation

arrangements, engagement serves four areas:

Orchestrating, commissioning and guiding participation to help make decisions

Designing and facilitating methods to ensure citizen dialogue occurs

Building capacity of organisations to partner with the community

Theorizing, evaluating, reflecting, evaluating and reporting on process and outcome

(Bherer et al. 2017).

In healthcare a fifth and significant dimension is applied; developing consumer and

carer governance structures and systems to ensure feedback is continuous and at

micro (bedside/counselling rooms), mezzo (ward, unit and service level) and macro

(procedure and policy level). In addition, the consumer and caregiver is a targeted

citizen who interacts within the health organisations community. For this reason;

illness and recovery must be appreciated and knowledge of clinical, medical and

therapeutic models must be applied when working in public engagement.

Consumers and carers use their lived experience, often underpinned by adverse or

traumatic events, to ensure better outcomes for others.

My role is to create meaningful exchanges to mobilise positive action. The role is

always searching for common ground by bringing together multiple ideologies and

idiosyncratic.

The Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) is a public institution with a

mandate and responsibility to collaborate, co-design and partner.

Public participation is a series of ongoing interactions and cross-pollination of ideas

which assist us to continuously improve.

Allan Ball | Director Consumer and Community Engagement

Issue 30 February 2018

Tips for communicating

with children and young

people

School Ambassador

Program

Ruby’s vision

HUG 2017/2018

Consumer Governance

Person and Family

Centred Care monthly

Award winners

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

THE DETAILS FOR WHO

Consumer Orientation 5 February 9am – 1pm. Alan Crompton

Boardroom.

RSVP to Allan

Any new consumer or carer

representative or

representative who has not

participated in orientation

for more than 2 years.

Grand Rounds (Lecture series on

innovation, health and research)

28 February. Hear about communication

methods for children and young people with

complex needs from the Principal, Adelaide

West Special Education Centre.

All consumer and carer

representatives

CONSUMER VACANCIES

MONTH EVENTS BASECAMP

New vacancies click here. Event schedule for February click here. E-Book Club: Blue Voices

from Beyond Blue.

Consultation: 2 new

procedures for

commenting.

OTHER INFORMATION

Not a member of Basecamp? Visit our website to learn how to get involved. Invitations are open to WCHN staff,

consumers, caregivers, family members and community members. To provide feedback to the survey without

signing up to Basecamp click here

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Top tips for communicating with children and young people with complex communication needs

Written in partnership with a group of consumers, carers and parents from Adelaide West Special

Education Centre, with the support from Debbie Marshall, School Services Officer.

1. Ask the children how they are experiencing the

care, not just the caregiver.

2. Fast track, where possible, as other children and

parents may make judgements in waiting rooms.

Be aware that waiting rooms can be over

stimulating for children with autism spectrum

disorder.

3. Treat the child as a person first, rather than a

disability first.

Get down to their level (kneel down) particularly

for children in wheelchairs.

Talk them through procedures and explain what

is going on like you would with any patient.

4. Ensure there are facilities to charge

communication systems and electronic assistive

technologies used by consumers (e.g. iPads,

Eye Gaze)

5. Use ‘yes’ and ‘no’ symbols. Some children may

touch the symbol they would like or some may

look at it. Often caregivers will tell you how their

child can indicate ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses.

6. It is a burden to repeat our stories. Clinicians

reading files and being up to date with information

and consistency in care is important.

7. Presume competence but give the patient time to

respond. Processing time increases under stress!

8. Err on the side of caution. Be thorough, do extra

tests and scans to be sure. A lot of our students

have extreme pain tolerance and can smile or

laugh when in pain (even with broken bones).

9. Maybe a coloured sticker or sign could be put on

a patient with Complex Communication Needs

file or bed head (similar to that of someone with

vision impairment or particular diet) so that

anyone who comes into contact with the person

easily sees they have specific communication

needs.

10. Encourage families and children to bring

communication systems to hospital and

appointments. Be open to having them there and

trying to use them.

11. Prepare and discuss questions and concerns

before planned appointments i.e. if a user of

augmentative and alternative communication has

a referral to see a neurologist after coming into

hospital for a seizure, maybe find a way to use

augmentative and alternative communication to

ask them if they have any questions.

CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT

“Ask the children how they are experiencing the care,

not just the caregiver.”

School Ambassador Program November 2017

Conversations with people with complex communication needs

By Lorna Fenech, Principal, Adelaide West Special Education Centre

In October 2017, Adelaide West Special Education Centre was pleased to have a visit from the Women’s and

Children’s Hospital School Ambassador Program team.

As a specialist communication school, students used their augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)

systems to ask questions and communicate their opinions and feelings.

The use of AAC is an important part of our teaching and learning at Adelaide West, and our students use a range

of systems. The WCH School Ambassador team felt that the use of AAC at the hospital could be expanded and

Adelaide West is happy to support this.

The ability to communicate effectively is a basic human right and one of the fundamentals of being a human being.

People without a functional communication system are not only deprived of these rights and joys but are also

exposed to greater risks of abuse and failing to meet their potential than those who can communicate.

Learning to use AAC effectively requires competent communication partners and an understanding that the

process can take significant time to perfect, especially for those who are faced with additional challenges due to

physical or intellectual disabilities, trauma or other stresses.

Supporting communication with a range of resources, from very simple single symbols through to high-tech

systems that respond to eye gaze helps to acknowledge that people living with complex communication needs

have a voice that they can use to affect the conditions of their everyday lives.

Allowing sufficient processing

time for a response can be a

major hurdle for those of us

who are expert verbal

communicators. Normally, we

rephrase questions or try to

expand our communication if

we do not receive an answer

within three seconds. For

people with complex

communication needs, the

further processing time required

may mean that a response may

not be forthcoming for up to a

minute. Asking further

questions during this time can

confuse the issue as they then

stop processing the first

question and move onto the

second and never quite get to

the answer.

One of the simplest AAC tools

that we use at Adelaide West is

the symbols for “yes” and “no.”

Staff wear these symbols around their necks on elastic. This allows them to move the symbols to attract attention

or to enable students to reach and touch or look intently at the symbol they wish to use. Students who use

wheelchairs also have these symbols attached to the trays of their chair so that they are always accessible.

It can be a fine art to ask the right yes/no questions to elicit a good opinion or comment from someone who only

uses these symbols so Adelaide West staff often use these in conjunction with other aided language systems.

Aided language boards are a single page of visual symbols that provide more communication options. For

example, a page with a selection of body part images would enable a communication partner to ask: “You have a

pain. Where is it? Is it in your stomach, Yes or no? Your back, hip, arm etc?” – pointing every time to the

appropriate symbol and waiting for a yes/no response.

A low-tech form of AAC, which provides our

students with a wide range of vocabulary is

the Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic

Display (PODD) PODD communication

book. PODD books come in several

formats, each with increasingly complex

vocabulary.

The process of teaching the use of PODDs

involves staff modelling their use in many

different situations throughout the day.

Students then begin to learn to respond by

using single words to express themselves

but can then move on to produce phrases,

sentences and paragraphs using their

PODDs.

There are two main forms of high-tech

communication systems that Adelaide

West students use to communicate across

all aspects of their lives: iPads with speech

generating apps such as Proloquo2Go

and tablet devices that respond to eye

gaze. As with the PODDs, staff model the

use of these before students begin to use

them for themselves.

There are many other AAC devices and

systems used to support communication

for people with complex communication

needs. Regardless of the system, it is vital

for all communication partners to model

the use of the system and support the

individual user to make the best possible

use of their systems to participate fully in

communication interactions. Never worry

about not getting it right – have a go and

enjoy the communication!

Infection Control Posters

Pam our Consumer Representative from the Infection Control committee has been working with children to design

posters for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital that inform children what to do if they are feeling unwell.

Pam worked with students in years 4, 5, 6 and 7 (aged 9-12) through a staged art consultation approach. Pam

initially visited each class group to explain the intent of the posters, which stimulated some colourful conversations

around infections and health ailments like diarrhoea, coughing, nausea and runny nose. Two of the classes

integrated this learning into their health program and spent several lessons exploring infections, including from a

historic perspective. By leading with the question: “How can we, as the visitors/consumers of the hospital, support

the children already there to get better and not make their stay longer?” Pam worked with the children over a

number of weeks to make sure the posters they created were in line with the health literacy levels of children at our

hospital. The kids took ownership over the work, meeting during several lunch times to brainstorm images and

phrases. Students conducted desktop reviews, to look at world’s best literature before drawing and designing

layouts for consideration by the Infection Control Committee.

In January, Pam met with Rhys, Owen, Tahlia and Hayley from the WCHN

Kids Klub and Youth Advisory Group to conduct a poster audit of the Women’s

and Children’s Hospital. The poster allowed our young consumer

representatives to comment on the best placement of the posters to ensure

they are not just at “adult height” but can be read and understood a child or

teenager as well as from wheelchair height. Rhys said: ”Placement of the

posters is important because if they are too high kids cannot read them.”

Ruby’s Vision

When we tune into our children and young people, magic is sure to happen. A great example of this comes from

15-year-old Ruby, a young woman who has had more trips to our hospital than she would like to admit. Ruby who

has chronic asthma is “not the biggest fan” of the hospital and it has nothing to do with her treatment, WCHN staff

or experiences, but everything to do with the confusion that surrounds being unwell as a teenager.

During 2017, Ruby was inspired to develop a colouring book for other children suffering with chronic asthma.

“Hospital is kind of scary, and I know that other kids get scared too,” says Ruby.

”When kids are scared, they might avoid or delay coming into the hospital and that is dangerous because they

might become really unwell.”

When Ruby visits hospital, she makes many friends with children and other youth on the wards.

As a consumer researcher, Ruby wanted to do something important with this knowledge. When given the

opportunity through a social studies assignment within her school Ruby knew exactly what she wanted to do.

Ruby designed, authored and illustrated her own colouring book, to demystify the hospital experience for other

children.

Ruby used her hospital networks, friends and family and WCHN Respiratory Nurse Consultant Kate Roberts-

Thomson as experts to inform content of the colouring book.

Ruby has a very strong relationship with her nurse, Kate who feels strongly that there is not enough information

on education and awareness of asthma for children, written by children.

When presented with Ruby’s book, she was immediately wanted to know how it could be included in the hospital’s

overall education care plan.

Ruby said that the book followed the journey of Ella who represents “everyone who has come into the hospital”.

Valuing children’s

voices

“As every child gets scared of different things, the colouring book

is inspired by multiple perspectives to ensure that anxiety levels

or reduced through the conversation of child-centred information,”

she said.

In November 2017, Kate reached out to Allan Ball, Director,

Consumer and Community Engagement, seeking advice on how

the colouring in book could be more widely promoted.

“In a setting of increased interest in health literacy, the colouring

book has been designed at the beginning of a golden age of

consumer engagement in health information,” Allan said.

”A health-literate South Australia needs to be asking where does

the child and youth voice fit into the design and delivery of

information.”

Allan put Ruby and Kate in touch with the Awesome Foundation

Adelaide Chapter, which runs a monthly grant scheme. Their

motto “every month we give $1000 with zero strings attached.

Just the money awesome needs to turn concepts into reality”.

Ruby worked with Kate to prepare an application and in late

November 2017, Ruby was selected as the grant winner.

The design for the colouring book is currently being finalised.

On 18 November the Youth Advisory Group was asked to comment on the best method of distribution Ruby will

present her project at a showcase for the Youth Advisory Group in April as part of SA Youth Week. Well done to

Ruby, her family, Kate and all the children who inspired her vision.

Name badges for staff

Julie, a Masters Social Work

student with the Community

Engagement Divison, worked in

partnership with the Clinical

Practice Unit and women in

Outpatients to design a name

badge for staff in the Women’s

and Babies Division.

This follows a 2015 project in

which children designed badges

for staff that clearly displayed

their first name, with a welcoming

hello and a bright graphic.

Sixteen designs were uploaded to

Basecamp for consultation and

18 consumers helped select the

winning design which, will be

developed into name badges and rolled out from February 2018.

“A health literate South Australia needs to be asking

where does the child and youth voice fit into the design

and delivery of information”

Interpreter Symbol

In response to a consumer request, the Women’s and Children’s Health Network wards, services and

environments now have large interpreter symbols displayed. The aim is to make it even easier for members from

migrant, refugee and new arrival communities to understand their right to access an interpreter.

Volunteer Strategy

Our Volunteer Strategy was launched in September 2017 and as actions get completed, we want to regularly

update you on what has been achieved. After all, it is the community’s vision and feedback that underpins the

strategy.

Over the Christmas period a big shift occurred to realise the potential of person and family centred care.

Traditionally, the WCHN Volunteer Unit has had a dedicated Christmas/New Year break for all volunteers.

We want to provide opportunities for volunteers to continually enhance the healthcare experience of our

consumers, carers and families. Therefore, this year to realise the vision of the WCHN Volunteer Strategy and in

line with one of the key principles of person and family centred care engagement, volunteering continued over the

holiday period.

HUG 2017/2018

On 8 December, the Citizen Jury in

partnership with the Friends of WCH Inc.

kicked off the HUG 2017/18 season. In

2016/17 meal and gift vouchers were

provided to families in need as a response

to feedback from consumers and carers,

delivered via a verdict from the Citizen

Jury.

The initiative referred to as HUG (Helping

U Give) spreads kindness and happiness

to families in the Women’s and Children’s

Hospital (WCH) by surprising some

families with one of three types of

vouchers (for a coffee, to spend in one of

the shops or for a meal).

The 2016/17 initiative was so popular and

contributed so many random acts of

kindness that the Friends jumped on board (right away) to bring this to families this past Christmas.

“We have given a voucher today to a family who have been in PICU for over a week now and live near Murray

Bridge. (They live too close to Adelaide to be eligible for the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS) and are

doing it pretty tough.) The mum of the toddler was extremely grateful and the voucher put a big smile on her face.”

(PICU NURSE, 2017)

This season, 165 vouchers will be provided to nine wards. Members of executive joined the consumer Citizen Jury

to launch the season. Consumer representatives from the Citizen Jury lead the initiative in partnership with the

Friends. This is an authentic initiative co-designed with our consumers. One of our consumer representatives

from the Jury, Lil, raised over $600 through selling yoghurt for the HUG vouchers. What an effort!

YOU SAID – WE LISTENED – WE DID

Over the Christmas period, the Youth Advisory Group and Cultural Roundtable continued to meet.

Our overall numbers A golden moment

32 Members Engaged

1 Procedure Reviewed

2 Quality Improvements

3 Staff Training and

Development projects

planned.

Since the last meeting, Tahlia and Amelia have represented the YAG at

the 2018 International Carers’ Conference in Adelaide. Sarah Executive

Director, Mind Australia commented on the maturity demonstrated by the

YAG representatives at the conference.

"... I’d like to say how impressed I was by Amelia and Tahlia, and how

clearly they were able to articulate their experiences and the issues for

young people who are in caring relationships with people using hospital

services.”

To find out more about what happens in real-time, sign up to Basecamp. Visit our website to learn how to get

involved. Invitations are open to WCHN staff, consumers, caregivers, family members and community members.

Consumer

Group

Key themes and moments By numbers

Youth Advisory

Group

Developed a welcome

letter for new YAG

members.

Endorsed the Child and

Youth Engagement

Framework.

Provided feedback on

Know Your Rights

procedure.

Participated in training

session “How to construct

a critical question”.

Planned WCHN response

to SA Youth Week.

Welcomed Joseph to the

team.

4 reports 2 guest speakers

20 members 3 endorsements

Cultural

Roundtable

Provided feedback on

Know Your Rights

procedure.

Critically reviewed

consumer feedback and

the Person and Family

Centred Care Report

Card.

Planned for Cultural

Diversity Month.

3 reports 1 procedure review

12 members 1 endorsement

CONSUMER GOVERNANCE UPDATES

Aiming for the Stars

The members of the Consumer Governance have signed up to an ambitious agenda in 2018.

Consumer

group

Project outcomes

Consumer and

Community

Partnering

Council

Evaluation of the Consumer and Community Engagement 2015-2018 Strategy

Closing the Loop Campfire (reflections on 3 years of consumer engagement)

Consumer Engagement in WCH Clinical Sustainment Plan

WCHN Response to SA Health Strategic Plan

System Risk Analysis

Community Expos: Defence Families (February), Cultural Pop Up (March),

Reconciliation (June), Disability (October)

Youth

Advisory

Group

SA Youth Week Scavenger Hunt

2019 Youth Conference Plan with Child Protection Department

TUNE Staff Educational Video

Q&A Showcase

15 Steps Audit MY Health Christies Beach, Foyer

15 Steps Audit Rainbows Shops

Child and Youth Engagement Framework

Consultation Agenda with YACSA, Mental Health Commission, Child and Youth

Commissioner

Youth Volunteer Framework

Person and

Family

Centred Care

Steering

Network

Family Huddle Question Set

Family Huddle Adolescent Ward and Helen Mayo House (?)

Passion Projects 2018

Annual Listening Post – Partnerships

WABS Virtual Tour

Shared Decision Making Framework

Person and Family Centred Care Week

Annual Person and Family Centred Care Audit

Kids Klub 250 Kids consulting on WCHN response to SA Health Strategic Plan

Shared Decision Making TV Slides

Kids Shadowing

Health

Literacy Group

Drop the Jargon Report

Consultations on corporate communication documents

Healthy Focus co-design

Monitoring Health Literacy Procedure roll out

Reviewing the Kids Klub Terms of Reference and co-designing the graphic for the TOR; Live polling; YAG members reviewing the Child and Youth Framework draft

Cultural

Roundtable

8 procedure reviews with diversity in mind

Cultural Diversity Framework

Cultural Diversity Fitness Audit

Cultural Diversity Month

Citizen Jury Access and Flow project support

HUG 2018/19

2017 Feedback Analysis

Transitions (child to adult) Jury

CAMHS Safety and Quality Jury

CAMHS

Advisory

Group

CAMHS “Who are we?” information pack

TheMHS 2018 Conference Planning

CaFHS

Advisory

Group

CaFHS Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy

CaFHS Staff Orientation Consumer Input

Look back

Jason met with WCHN Corporate

Communications and Michel (Manager,

Metropolitan Youth Health) to continue to

support a destigmatisation campaign for young

parents by focusing on developing accessible

communications. The agreed next steps will be

to develop a co-written list of tips to support

healthcare workers partnering with young

parents, through a series of consumer campfires

in February 2018. A consumer campfire is a

focus group method aimed at maximizing

positive storytelling and building consensus on

solutions. The outcome of the consultation will

be a list of tips, and information provided by

consumers on the best way the organisation can

promote young parents stories.

Lana (Consumer Representative) worked with

researchers from the Robinson Research on the

2019 fellowship and scholarship research

projects.

Tahlia co-facilitated a student forum at Adelaide

University for her work on the steering

committee for Meningococcal B herd study.

Tara, Sharon and Emily joined other WCHN

staff to celebrate the SA Health Awards in

November. The Consumer Coffee Club was a

finalist in the Partnering with Consumers, Carers

and Our Community category. Although not the

overall winner of the award, the profile it

provided the program meant that the Minister of

Health talked personally with the three

consumers who convene the Coffee Club our

three coffee club convenors about its success

and the potential to translate its positive impact

to other parts of the Network. Check out the

video made about the Consumer Coffee Club.

(scroll down when on the web).

In November, 19 students and six parents from

Adelaide West Special Education Centre met

with doctors and nurses from Surgical Services,

Nursing & Midwifery Clinical Practice

Development Unit and Paediatric Medicine as

part of the School Ambassador Program.

During recess, parents and carers asked

questions to the panel of staff members,

including how the emergency department

manages complex and invasive health care, and

how communication devices can be used in all

settings of the Health Network. Medication

management tips were also discussed as was

the importance of doctors and nurses

addressing the child and not just the

parent. Participants conducted an honest

dialogue with staff.

Lily, Beth, Susan and Allan met to prepare the

agenda for the November Person and Family

Centred Steering Committee which included 14

items for consideration by members.

On 1 November, Allan was invited to consult on

consumer-centred quality improvements within

surgical services division to support shared

decision making and effective health literacy.

CONSUMER & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Tara attended the final SA Health Partnering

with Consumers and the Community Advisory

Group meetings for 2017. At the November

meeting a new self-reporting (feedback,

experience and incidents) electronic form was

discussed, the Australian Hospital Patient

Experience Question Set was endorsed with

provisions for children’s and young people’s

voices being respected and the patient

demographics work group (progress report) was

discussed, which includes the WCHN.

Allan participated in a consumer and

stakeholder review for a Cochrane Review on

consumer involvement.

As part of the action plan for the Person and

Family Centred Care Network for 2018, a new

gallery promoting person and family centered

care particularly the awards has been created in

the Women's and Children's Hospital. The

permanent gallery can be found in Zone F, Floor

1 (next to parent education and Queen Victoria

Lecture Theatre). It provides consumers, carers

and visitors enjoyable information, on the spirit

of our key principle.

Tara, Sharon, Emily and Kala worked with a

media production team to shoot a 60-70 second

video highlighting the work of the Consumer

Coffee Club for the SA Health Awards, and

subsequently to be used by WCHN to showcase

innovation in consumer engagement.

On 6 November, the Health Literacy Committee

convened for the final time in 2018. The group

learnt that the 24/7 guide was currently being

edited with the first draft to be provided at the

February meeting, prior to going to graphic

design. Teach back method fact sheets were

amended based on feedback received from the

group in August. Dr Rob Laing presented on a

health literacy project born from feedback from

children undergoing surgery. Dr Laing is a

Paediatric anaesthetist and has been

working to develop a web-based

communication tool to help kids with

anxiety coming into surgery at WCH. The

tool will provide practical steps focused on

calming the mind, and lots of useful hints

for families to build their own resources to

support their children.

The group learnt that the WCHN Drop the

Jargon consultation was half-way completed,

with 121 individual responses received for the

survey.

Themes emerging from the consultation are

quite broad and a lot of rich data has been

received that would enhance not just health

literacy but culture. We learnt that the WCHN

procedure for consumer health information was

in its final stage of consultation. In February a

plan to launch the document as well as the

plight for effective health literacy will be

discussed.

The organisation met with Relationships

Australia’s South Australia Multicultural

Manager to begin the conceptualisation of a

WCHN Diversity Framework.

Staff, consumers and carers took part in the

White Ribbon March in November to take a

stand against violence towards women and to

help promote a louder community voice.

On 7 November, the Person and Family

Centred Care Network Steering Group met, with

14 reports and two break-out discussions, the

conversations equally focused on celebrating

the 2017 success and planning for 2018. The

committee learnt that:

o 138 WCHN staff members have participated

in the Best Practice Spotlight Organisation

training since the start of 2017. 15% of the

Nursing and Midwifery workforce will

participate in the training by the end of 2018.

Lily (consumer chair) continues to provide

support as a co-facilitator.

o Surgical Services (Kate Hill and Newland

Wards) have hosted two Family Huddles,

making them the latest wards to implement

the model. In June 2018 the Family Huddle

model will be evaluated.

o Communication tools for children and youth

with complex verbal processing requirements

will be actioned in 2018, stemming from a

parent and child panel that 10 WCHN staff

attended as part of the School Ambassador

Program. In addition, the Principal of

Adelaide West Special Education Centre will

be working with members of her school and

our extended WCHN communities, to

develop a top 10 practical list of things

WCHN staff can do to tune in better to

children and teens with verbal processing

needs.

o School Ambassador Program evaluation and

approach will be presented to the June 2018

meeting with a presentation from the Hospital

School and Community Engagement.

o The Person and Family Centred Care report

card was presented and endorsed. An

action plan for 2018. This plan embeds

actions, arising from the Youth Parent Think

Tank, 2017 Listening Post into staff

communication, and discussions from the

Divisional Report Card.

o Two sub-groups were formed by the Person

and Family Centred Care Network Steering

Committee, to action two projects between

November 2017 - February 2018 including a

group to filter training that can be provided to

staff relating to addressing challenging

behaviours, compassion and person and

family centred care. The other group will

focus on developing a question set for the

2018 Listening Posts that will drill down into

aspects of healthcare rights and how they

are conveyed to families. Both groups will be

co-designed with consumers.

WCHN Cultural Roundtable Members met on 8

November to conduct a deep dive and

subsequent co-design of the healthcare rights

procedure for the Network. The procedure was

reviewed from a trauma-informed lens,

underpinned by conversations of how we can

translate the principle of diversity into practice

when promoting healthcare rights. The

committee also endorsed Cultural Diversity

Month 2018, with a community planning group

to meet to organise education sessions,

communications, a community pop-up stall and

art galleries. Members also were encouraged to

provide an application for the Friends of WCH

Inc. Passion Projects and used the “consumer

soapbox” to advocate for a corporate video that

sensitively promotes an introduction to the

Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The group

also learnt that their feedback about including

"different languages" in communications has

been operationalised through the display of a

large sign at the entrance to the Paediatric

Emergency Department with the statement

“Welcome to a Place of Care” featuring

translations into our top 20 languages.

12 consumers joined the team in Child

Development Unit to discuss how to improve

consumer/carer experience. Lily was involved in

interviewing prospective consumer

representatives for vacancies on the Person and

Family Centred Care Network Steering Group.

Allan met with Ruby and her mother. Ruby has

designed a colouring book to demystify the

treatment experience for children living with

asthma.

On 7 December, five consumers attended an

information session about projects investigating

quality improvements relating to average length

of stay and a WCHN miscarriage model of care.

The role of the consumer on the committee will be:

- review policy and procedure

- comment on the literature review

- develop a script for all staff when working with

consumers and carers

- embed good health literacy principles

- design training and education

- develop “women-focused” information in relation

to miscarriage.

For the past three months, Amy and Moegi from the University of Adelaide have worked with the Community

Engagement Division and Media and Communications to research with the YAG, Kids Klub and general

community the best communication methods for children and young people when receiving healthcare.

The result of the hard efforts has been a literature review and recommendations report card. We are very pleased

to have this level of community buy in and the literature is currently being worked up into a framework to be

launched in April 2018 for the Network. There is also some feedback that the YAG will consider as part of their

evaluation of their effectiveness of engaging youth and children.

We love evaluation, and this is going to make such a BIG difference.

Allan and Heather (Executive Lead Allied Health) spoke at the Children’s Healthcare Australasia Transitions

Special Interest Group on 22nd

November regarding the youth consultation to co-develop transition factsheets and

web information.

Thank you Amy and Moegi for your handwork, and I know it is not a goodbye just a see you later. Sarah (Manager

Communications), Tracey (Senior Communications Adviser), Jason (Consumer Chair), Amy, Moegi and I met for

the handover, evaluation and reflection session.

EDUCATION, TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Best communication methods for children and young people

when receiving healthcare

Look back

In November, Pharmacy Services senior staff met with the Director Consumer and Community Engagement

to review communication methods about their services. They will be looking at using Basecamp to consult

with the community. Consumers commented on the draft SA Health principles and standards for the

development of procedures within SA Health.

Vikki supported the leadership walk arounds as a consumer representative, visiting Michael Rice Ward with

executive staff members to talk with staff, consumers and carers about their experiences.

Lily, Beth (Director, Safety and Quality) Susan (Advanced Clinical Practice Consultant) and Allan have

drafted a series of questions to explore how consumers and carers perceive the right of “participation” as part

of the 2018 listening post schedule.

Allan continues to work with Dr Suzanne Hood, Research Manager for the Australian Research Alliance for

Children and Youth to investigate strengths and areas for improvement s to ensure children and young people

understand their healthcare rights.

Youth Advisory Group members used child and youth friendly language to re-write a series of

survey/interview questions aimed at gaining a better understanding of the overnight hospital experience for

consumers in paediatric wards.

During January, Ruby conducted several listening posts using these questions and Quick Tap© software.

Ruby will work with the After Hours Service team to theme the data.

Jo, Tiffany, Tessa and Tanya alongside Allan, participated an international webinar on the future trends of

health consumer engagement. A thread was started on Basecamp to allow for further discussion following

the webinar. Consumers believe that a more contemporary interface and features are required on Basecamp,

including a newsfeed, live polls, automated reports to capture qualitative data and incentive features and

buttons (similar to the ‘Like” feature on Facebook.

SAFETY & QUALITY

Pharmacy Services are reviewing communication

methods about their services.

They will be looking at using Basecamp

to consult with

the community.

Monthly Award winners

October 2017

Tamara Robertson (Midwife, Midwifery Group Practice received praise from

consumers who wanted to thank her for her guidance and support.

One consumer wrote: “As a first-time father, the whole experience can be

rather daunting, however, Tamara’s support and guidance to both my wife and

me made us feel comfortable and confident. She has gone above and beyond

on numerous occasions.”

Tamara’s work ethic proves that providing kind and supportive engagement

with consumers can provide empowerment and shape excellence in care.

November 2017

Magdalene Kerr - Disability Services, received praise for the compassionate

support she has provided.

A consumer wrote: “Magdalene has recently worked with a parent and child

who needed emergency support. She went beyond her role to keep the parent

informed of the child’s care and worked extra hours to ensure the child was

supported safely in the relevant care.”

December 2017

Marie Bentley, Midwife, Midwifery Group Practice, received praise for the

positive support she provided.

A consumer wrote: “Marie provided me with outstanding care and incredible

emotional, mental and physical support throughout my pregnancy and my

labour. It was quite a stressful pregnancy. After a traumatic birth with my first

child, she took everything on board and was able to give me a truly amazing,

calm and peaceful second birth.”

For more details about the WCHN Person and Family Centred Care

Awards visit http://inside.wchn.sa.gov.au/webs/staff_recognition/staffrecognition_PFCCrecognition.html

For more information

Community Engagement Divison Women’s and Children’s Health Network 72 King William Road North Adelaide SA 5006 Telephone: 8161 6935 Email: Allan.Ball@sa.gov.au

www.wch.sa.gov.au

© Department for Health and Ageing, Government of South Australia. All rights reserved.

© Department of Health, Government of South Australia. All rights reserved.

PERSON AND FAMILY CENTRED CARE