C and C Experience Initiative

CONSUMER & CARER EXPERIENCES
OF CARE AND SUPPORT INITIATIVE

Background

The Victorian Mental Health Carers Network, in partnership with the consumer peak body, the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council and the Department of Human Services, are currently undertaking a pilot survey of Consumer and Carer Experiences of Mental Health Services. This initiative gathers information from consumers and carers about their experiences of services in Clinical Mental Health and PDRS Services, and develops mechanisms for enhancing consumer and carer participation in service quality improvement.

The Department of Human Services has been conducting surveys of consumer and carer experience across the State since 1996. The last survey was carried out in 2003-2004 but was limited by very low response rates. A subsequent review proposed several changes to how the next one could be organised. The current initiative (called �the C&C Experience Project� for short) builds on the recommendations of the Review of the 2003-2004 Victorian Surveys of Consumer and Carer Experiences. It is a pilot project to be conducted over 2006-2008. It incorporates just 8 service sites, and trials new ways of collecting information about services, of feeding it back to staff and participants, and of facilitating consumer and carer involvement in service quality improvement.

Key features of the new approach:

- Responsibility for project in hands of consumer and carer peak bodies, in collaboration with services
- Trained consumers and carers conduct the research
- Involves consumers and carers in the development of the survey tools and methodology
- Survey tools include not only a simple questionnaire but also focus group and interview methods (qualitative methods)
- Relationships and consultations with service staff developed from an early stage
- Mechanisms for feeding back the findings are planned for best relevance to service staff and participants, and to ensure integration into service quality monitoring and improvement systems.

List of Pilot Sites involved in the project:

Public

Eastern,
Southern,
Ballarat,
Bendigo.

PDRSS

Doutta Galla,
Prahran Mission,
Centacare,
Mallee Family Care.

News about the project:

You can stay informed about the progress of the project by reading our monthly service e-bulletins posted on this website.

In addition, we are producing occasional carer updates which you can view below.

For more background information about the project, go to:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/quality/consumer.htm

For more information about the Carers� Network role in the project, contact:
Anna Crowley on (03) 9810 9352.

Click here to view Carer Updates

Click here to view E-Bulletins