HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING

Introducing Health Services Planning Consumer Council

‘Nothing about us, without us’, is the slogan adopted by The Canterbury District Health Board’s new Health Services Planning (HSP) Consumer Council.

The council of 15 consumer representatives represent family health, mental health, chronic conditions, people with disabilities, older people, rural communities, Maori, Pacific people and Primary Health Organisation consumers.

The committee has met in recent months to discuss how it can best provide a strong voice for the community and consumers, on health service planning and delivery in Canterbury.

The committee has been familiarising itself with the role of the CDHB and has responded
to several requests to provide consumer input into policy and development of initiatives
related to the provision of health care.

It has also decided and agreed on its terms of reference with regards to its form and
function. 'Nothing About Us Without Us' is a well known saying meaning that policy should be decided with the full and direct participation of members the group(s) affected by that policy. This is what the committee aims to achieve on behalf of Canterbury health service consumers.

CDHB CEO Gordon Davies said it was important that consumers participated at a high level and were close to where the important decision making occurs.  “Participation in planning Canterbury’s health services should be a partnership between the CDHB and consumers at all levels. We are expecting our new Consumer Council to take an
active role in influencing CDHB policy to better reflect consumer needs.”

CDHB Chief Medical Officer Nigel Millar said committee members had diverse backgrounds
and experiences and understandings of public health care.  “Together the committee will be able to bring their collective experiences as consumers in the broad group,” he said.
“The committee will also help to assist the CDHB in understanding what information the
community needs, how the community can communicate effectively with the CDHB and
how the CDHB can better communicate with the Canterbury community.”

The HSP Consumer Council aims to:

The HSP council members were nominated following a 6 month process involving many
health consumer focused organisations. Two places representing women’s health and
alcohol and other drug on the Council have recently been vacated and the nomination
process is underway to appoint two new members.

The Health Services Planning Consumer Council Committee members are (Photo):

Margaret Bates
Margaret has just joined the Consumer Council representing Mental Health Alcohol and
Drug. Margaret is a consumer advisor with Alcohol and Drug Association New Zealand, and has personal experience of the impact of alcohol and drug.

Amelia Dalley
Amelia represents family and youth health. She is currently studying at university and is
affiliated with the Otautahi Youth Council. Amelia is the Maori Vice President for the Young Labour Executive for 2007/08.

Richard Davison
Richard represents the Canterbury Primary Health Organisation consumers on the Council.  Dick is a North Canterbury farmer, with experience in governance and representation in commercial and community based organisations.  Richard is the consumer representative on the CDHB Community and Public Health Advisory Committee and Disability Support Advisory Committee.

Seulata Fui-Moagutuuli
Seulata has worked in advocacy and peer support in Christchurch and is a dedicated
consumer representative for the Pacific community. She has associations with Pacific Trust Canterbury, Canterbury Mental Health Consumer Network, Disabled Persons Assembly (NZ) Inc, Psychiatric Consumers Trust and Schizophrenia Fellowship Canterbury Inc.

Keith Gibb
Keith is a retired GP and represents Older Persons. He has been affiliated with Eldercare
Canterbury for10 years and is currently Consumer Group Chair. Keith is the chairperson of the Consumer Council.

Jackie Girvan
Jackie represents rural health and is affiliated with Presbyterian Support, Ashburton which she has managed for five years. She is a mother, registered nurse and has worked as a health promoter in the past.

David Lamb
David is a farm management consultant, and has worked with rural families all his career.
He is an active member of the Christchurch Kidney Society (Inc), a volunteer at the Kidney Information Centre and a member of the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation.  He represents chronic conditions on the Consumer Council and is the consumer representative on the CDHB Quality and Patient Safety Council.

Gythlian Loveday
Gythlian recently joined the Consumer Council as the women’s health representative. As a social worker she has experience in many aspects of health care and currently works as a child health liaison with primary care. Gythlian is a survivor of breast cancer.

Beth McIlveen Nobes
Beth is manager of the Psychiatric Consumer Trust, who provide a peer support drop in
centre and advocacy service, and is a committed advocate for consumer run organisations and consumer input into policy development. Beth has links with the Canterbury Mental Health Consumer Network, Schizophrenia Fellowship Pegasus Bay, Schizophrenia Fellowship Cant. Inc and Te Awa o Te Ora- a Maori psychiatric consumer support group for people who have experienced mental health problems.

Elizabeth Miller
Elizabeth is a support worker at Brakenridge Estate and has a particular interest in child
and family health. She has an ongoing association with the Royal NZ Plunket Society and is currently branch president of Springs Ellesmere Branch. She represents the Branch on the Plunket Centre Fundraising, Family Centre and Area Committees.

Donald Pettitt
Donald is a social worker and manager of the Canterbury Men's Centre. His area of interest lies in family and men’s health and wellbeing. Donald has associations with the Father and Child Trust, Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust, MensTrust and MensLine.

Robyn Rainey
Robyn represents people with learning disabilities.  She is affiliated with People First Christchurch and Hohepa. She is an experienced public speaker and advocate.

Jill Waldron
Jill’s experience includes practice nursing in rural and urban areas, midwifery, counselling,
training in health and disability; rest home management, dementia, quality assurance and
accreditation processes.  Jill represents people with physical disabilities and has associations with CCS Disability Action Canterbury West Coast, Neuromuscular Alliance (Muscular Dystrophy Association), NZ Spinal Trust, Brain Injury Association, Waimakariri Access Group, Alzheimer’s Association and the Waimakariri Health Advisory Group.  Jill is the deputy-chairperson for the Consumer Council.

Gloria Weeks
Gloria represents people with sensory disabilities. She has affiliations with the Association of Blind Citizens NZ, Disabled Persons Assembly (NZ) Inc (DPA), Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, Deafblind, Disabled Persons Centre, Christchurch City Council, Deaf Association, St Chads Parish of Linwood Vestry and Synod member, Anglican Association of Women.  She represents ABC on CCC Disability Advisory Group, CCC Urban Development Strategic Partners Forum and the Total Mobility Committee at Environment Canterbury.

Charmaine Wilson
Charmaine is an experienced and qualified Social Worker employed by Whanau Tautoko
Charitable Trust under kaupapa me tikanga Maori. Charmaine is proud of her Maori
heritage and is a strong advocate for all people with an emphasis on low income and high
needs communities within the Christchurch area.

The HSP Consumer Council supports the CDHB’s vision and values and will operate as
follows by:

Adhering to agreed protocols between the HSP Steering Group and the Council
Committee members can be contacted by emailing healthservicesplanning@cdhb.govt.nz
or by telephoning (03) 337 8647.