Listening to and partnering with children and young people, families, carers and the broader community means we better understand what we do well and where we can improve. Partnering with you helps us deliver better care and bring our vision of a world where all kids thrive to life.

Partnering with Consumers Framework 2024-2026 

To help describe what consumer participation means to The Royal Children’s Hospital we have released our Partnering with Consumers Framework 2024-2026. 

This framework guides the way we partner with consumers so we can do better and go beyond what is expected of a health service for the benefit of patients, families, carers, staff and the broader community. 

More than 120 consumers, RCH team members and health service partners contributed to the development of this framework.  

If you have any feedback on this framework please let us know by emailing consumer.partnerships@rch.org.au  

Get involved

There are many ways you can help us do better. You can: 

• provide ongoing feedback about whether the service is meeting your needs, through our consumer feedback systems 

• get involved in the development and review of patient brochures and information handouts by joining one of our consumer advisory groups 

• join one of our hospital committees that span areas including clinical care, risk management, and quality improvement 

• share your story and experiences with us so we better understand your needs to improve  the care we provide. 

You may be a current inpatient, outpatient or parent, carer or family member of a patient. Even if you've never been a patient, parent or carer of a patient, your input, ideas, and feedback are valuable to us. 

Have you noticed or experienced something positive or something that we can do better for you or future patients? Have a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Complete our  online feedback form 

Want to have a say in the way the RCH can deliver better care and support patients, families and carers? Join one of our advisory groups, committees or our Virtual Consumer Panel. Read on for further information. And complete our  Get involved form 

Have an idea that you want to share? Email consumer.partnerships@rch.org.au  

Groups you may be interested in joining

Community Advisory Committee

Established in 2000, the RCH  Community Advisory Committee is a sub-Board committee. 

The Committee advises the RCH Board in relation to two critical areas:

1. Establishing and maintaining effective systems to facilitate and monitor consumer, carer and community perspectives.
2. The integration of consumer, carer and community perspectives into all levels of the RCH's decision making. This includes but is not limited to operations, planning, policy development, quality activities and major initiatives to improve outcomes for patients and the community in accord with the RCH strategic directions.

Representing the consumer, carer and community voice and advising on key areas of improvement and growth is at the core of being an RCH Community Advisory Committee member. Members are a voice that represent the diverse community we serve – a voice for patients, families, guardians and carers.

Community Advisory Committee members are appointed in an advisory capacity to the RCH Board, as a legislated advisory committee (although with no executive authority).

Family Advisory Council

Established in 2008, the  Family Advisory Council is a mixed membership group comprised of consumer representatives and RCH staff.

The group is passionate about ensuring children, young people and families and carers have a voice in hospital operations and the decision making process. The group seeks to embed family-centred care at the heart of all that the hospital does.

Members do this by:

• identifying areas of improvements, based on what they hear and see as consumers, community leaders and people with lived experience of the RCH
• being a voice for children, young people, families and carers
• creating a valued and trusted connection between consumers and the RCH

“As Family Advisory Council members, through our lived experience, we can represent those that can’t represent themselves. We can be their advocates and ensure it is better next time.”  – Family Advisory Council consumer representative member

Children's Cancer Centre Carers Network

The RCH  Children's Cancer Centre Carers Network brings the parents, families, carers, cancer and haematological disease survivors and RCH staff together to work on the shared goal of achieving the best outcomes and experiences for children and young people receiving care. 

Children and young people receiving care face many challenges in having their voice heard during their care experience. The network of parents, families and carers who surround them are uniquely placed to support, articulate and amplify children and young people’s needs whilst they receive expert care from the RCH’s world leading paediatric team.  

The RCH Children's Cancer Centre Carers Network is led by a diverse representation of parents, families, carers and cancer and haematological disease survivors. The group also includes RCH staff representatives who provide information, support and momentum for the group’s goals. 

Virtual Consumer Panel

The RCH Virtual Consumer Panel has been established as a way for patients, families, carers and the broader community to have a say and provide ideas that will improve the way we do things. Panel members can choose what they want to get involved in, without needing to commit to regular meetings or participate in in-person consultations. As a panel member you may be asked to complete a survey, support the development of strategies or contribute ideas to new or existing projects and improvement initiatives.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the RCH Virtual Consumer Panel please complete our Get involved form