Community and consumer engagement

Gold Coast Health values authentic connections with our consumers, their carers, and the broader community to help us achieve the best health outcomes in Australia.

The Community and Consumer Engagement Strategy 2024 - 2027 was developed in partnership with the Gold Coast Health Consumer Advisory Group (CAG) and the broader community. The strategy highlights our community as our partner in delivering the best possible healthcare and defines our approach to connecting with, responding to and collaborating with our community to meet the healthcare needs of the Gold Coast community.

Whether you just want to keep up to date with the latest news from Gold Coast Health, have a say through online surveys and research, or wish to become a fully-fledged consumer representative, the Gold Coast community is invited to get involved.

• Sign up to the Gold Coast Health Always Care Consumer Network – an informal network of current or former patients, their carers, consumers and community members interested in contributing toward healthcare improvement, shaping future services and learning more about healthcare
• Join the Gold Coast Health Consumer Advisory Group – a formal group that meets every second month and where individuals are invited as consumer representatives on committees and panels 
• Keep up to date with the latest news and service information on our website
• Subscribe to receive our monthly Community Connect Newsletter 
• Join our social media community

This informal volunteer network is made up of current or former patients, their carers, consumers, and community members who are interested in contributing toward healthcare improvement, shaping future services, and learning more about healthcare.

As part of the Always Care Consumer Network, you may be called upon to:

• Complete surveys and interviews
• Participate in workshops and focus groups
• Support research projects.
• Promote the importance of health issues or priorities in the community
• Having a say in service design, improvements, and special projects

As part of the Always Care Consumer Network, there is no set time requirement for participation, and you can choose the topics, services, or facilities that interest you.

It is a volunteer role where most activities are undertaken in your own time, online or via email.

You don’t need any experience, other than your lived experience with the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services as a consumer, carer or family member. If you progress to be formally involved in our Consumer Advisory Group, training will be available to support your involvement in different activities.

The Consumer Advisory Group (CAG) is a group of community representatives who work with Gold Coast Health to improve our local health system.

The CAG provides an independent voice of approximately 20 members who meet every second month and undertake other formal consumer representative activities between meetings.

It is important that our consumer representatives mirror the consumer profile of the Gold Coast community, so we encourage people from all walks of life, experience, ages, genders, and abilities to get involved.

All CAG members go through an induction and onboarding process to ensure safety and ethics of the consumer activities. This includes completing a criminal history check, being eligible for a Blue Card and have up-to-date immunisation certification.

As a member of the Consumer Advisory Group (CAG), you may be called upon to:

• Present at regular CAG meetings
• Be a consumer representative on hospital committees
• Provide written and verbal feedback on new service development, patient information and special projects
• Provide input into planning and infrastructure
• Participate in research, workshops, and focus groups

The time commitment to be a CAG member is around three hours per month (up to a maximum of 12 hours per month. Most CAG activities are remunerated to CAG members because the involvement is much higher than the Always Care Network. CAG members often sit on clinical and governance committees, are required for onsite and are involved in in-depth discussions about services, facilities and patient experience improvements.