Consumer Representative Stories

Anne Stanfield, Consumer Representative

Anne Stanfield was a member of the Anti-Microbial Stewardship (AMS) committee for 15 months. Anne felt that she was not providing the consumer and community awareness opportunities that were needed, given the size of the problem. Anne and Chin Yen, Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist at Blacktown and Mt Druitt presented the issues at the Consumer Council meeting where Consumer Representatives raised an important question:

What is the level of awareness about AMS in Western Sydney?

Coralie, Community and Consumer Partnerships program facilitator, suggested a survey to ask that question as it was also an opportunity to provide good information back to the community. After testing and refining, the survey was shared among Western Sydney Community and Consumer networks. We received approximately one hundred responses, finding that participants valued the quality information provided after each question. In this group there was a reasonable level of awareness in Western Sydney. The next question: What about the nearly 50% of people in Western Sydney whose first language is not English? It is clearly a work in progress, with exciting next steps.

Marj Freeman, Consumer Representative, 2018

“I felt like I got to know the health system on a much deeper level. The conversations I have in my role as a Consumer Representative give me great insight into the challenges faced by the health service.”

Kris Tucker, Consumer Representative, 2020

"My reflections on the projects I have been exposed to in my short time is how incredibly helpful these will be to our community. Involving people who have practical experience of the services provided in our local area and then further engagement with those at the ‘coal face’ of health service delivery, i.e. nurses and other health clinicians will lead to the fine tuning of these services for the entire community and I feel privileged to be involved."

Judith Lababedi, Consumer Representative

"From my experience as a carer I was able to identify things that maybe they hadn’t thought too much of, that they would say – “oh well that’s a good idea” – and just things that I’ve learnt that are a little bit different from maybe how they think, because unless you’ve been a carer you’re not going to know these things and why would you, because they are only things you learn through experience.”

Mary Knight, Consumer Representative to health professionals

"You may not realise it, but you make such a difference in people’s lives. Your kindness, compassion and willing nature will ensure the future good health of our nation ..."