The Clinical Council is clinician-led team who provides a direct link between primary health care providers and the WQPHN Board to inform the planning, evaluation and performance functions of the PHN.

The Consumer Advisory Council is made up of a diverse group of consumer representatives from across the Western Queensland region providing a community perspective on these functions.

The objectives of the combined Councils are to work collaboratively with WQPHN staff and advise the WQPHN Board directly in relation to service planning and design, service delivery, monitoring and evaluation.

For the first time in 2 years members of the Clinical and Consumer Advisory Council came together in Brisbane in early November. While COVID-19 has allowed the Councils to meet via Videoconference, face-to face-meetings are still invaluable.

The meeting content was co-developed by the Councils, who have matured as a group to both contribute issues of importance to their regions and contribute to the decision-making process alongside the WQPHN.

Dr Rosie Geraghty - Chair of the WQPHN Clinical Council & owner of Maranoa Medical Centre, Roma

The 2021-2022 year has seen the Clinical and Consumer Advisory Councils meet both face-to-face in November 2021 and via Zoom videoconference in 2022. Important updates regarding the COVID-19 response, WQ Health Care Home, data management programs, diabetes management and HealthPathways to name a few were discussed. We were excited to see the new headspace centre open in Roma with the aim to improve mental health outcomes for our youth. The face-to-face meeting enabled a review of membership and Terms of Reference for the Clinical Council.

I wish all members the best as they continue their good work for the consumers in Western Queensland.

John Palmer OAM, Chair of the WQPHN Consumer Advisory Council

I am again pleased to be part of the Consumer Advisory Council for 2021-2022, despite COVID-19 disrupting our attempts to meet in person for another year.

This year saw members from the Clinical and Consumer Advisory Council participating in the interview process for two new Board Directors, where we were invited to attend. I am looking forward to representing the WQPHN Councils at the upcoming Health Consumers Queensland (HCQ) Annual Forum in October 2022.

As always it is a pleasure to work with a proactive and passionate team, led by CEO Sandy Gillies and we look forward to the next year.