Partnering with consumers

The Queensland Cancer Centre (QCC) is proud to partner with Consumers to help shape the new Queensland Cancer Centre and acknowledges that consumer involvement in the co-design of the QCC’s buildings and health care services is essential to the delivery of quality health care.

We acknowledge the important voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers and stakeholders in helping to design pathways for accessible and culturally safe healthcare throughout the cancer journey for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families or carers.

What is consumer partnership with QCC?

Consumer membership

The QCC is interested in engaging people of all cultures, genders, abilities, and backgrounds who live in Queensland. Specifically, we seek consumers who:

are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members
have diverse backgrounds including people with disabilities or have a range of cultural/ social identities
live/have lived in regional Queensland and can represent the ‘regional’ perspective on healthcare.

Consumers should also:

be accessing, or have accessed, cancer care services in the public health system in Queensland (within the last five years)
be carers or close family members of someone who is accessing, or has accessed, cancer care services in the public health system in Queensland (within the last five years)
have other skills and abilities to help develop a world-class cancer care facility.

Opportunities for consumers

There will be many ways for consumers to be involved in the QCC project. These include being a member of:

QCC Consumer User Group and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander User Group

The QCC User Groups meet monthly and form part of the QCC governance structure. Their purpose is to bring the key project representatives together to ensure that the future state of QCC meets the operational and strategic requirements.
The Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander User Group provides additional opportunity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to engage with the project in culturally safe and respectful ways.

Yarning circles/meetings

Engaging with the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community through culturally relevant methods like yarning circles and community gatherings are important communication methods that support a community driven approach.

Consumer pool

Consumer working groups provide the opportunity for consumers to participate in short-term projects which focus on activities such reviewing specific processes/documents or co-designing wayfinding/ signage and models of care.

Consumer pool

We may ask consumers to contribute to ad-hoc activities such as completing surveys, scenario testing a patient experience or reviewing patient information brochures/forms.

What is expected of a QCC Consumer?

Attend Microsoft Teams meetings when required.
Complete the required on-boarding paperwork/orientation as required.
Complete tasks and projects within the assigned time frame.
Be contactable via email to receive agenda/minutes and other correspondence.
To actively contribute to consumer meetings.

Consumer renumeration

The Metro North Health Partnering with consumers – reimbursement and payment policy (Nov 2022) sets out the commitment to remunerate consumers for their time and contributions to agreed engagement activities.

It provides clear and equitable guidance about the circumstances where payments will be made, the rates of payment and the methods of payment.

Time commitment

The time commitment depends on the type of consumer activity. User Group membership would require approximately 2–3 hours per month, whilst the commitment to working groups/ad hoc projects will be task specific.

Next steps

To register your interest in being involved as consumer, please complete the consumer sign-up form below.

We will then email you when the next consumer engagement opportunity becomes available. We will explain what the engagement activity involves, and what the likely time commitment will be. If you are interested, you can then express your interest to participate in it.

Consumer sign-up form

Find out more

For questions relating to the consumer sign-up form, please email the Metro North QCC Project team at mnh-qldcancercentre@health.qld.gov.au.