Tuesday September 15, 2026
The Annual Consumer & Community Forum is where consumer representatives, volunteers, community groups and organisations, local council, Eastern Health staff and leaders come together to celebrate the positive impact of consumer and community representatives.
Events like this are an opportunity to build connections, strengthen relationships, and keep our communities informed about important initiatives shaping healthcare across our community.
This year, the focusis on the vital role that communities and lived experience play in driving healthcare innovation and service improvement.
“As a consumer representative, it is important to be a part of the conversations early in the process. Consumers often notice different things and may have different perspectives to those of the medical, allied and administrative staff.
We navigate the system, access appointments, have discussions with multiple care providers, travel for care, undergo treatment or support family members through their treatment.” – Sue, Consumer Representative
Guests heard about a range of initiatives making a positive difference, including the Local Health Services Network, the Eastern Health Care@Home Program, and the Cultural Inclusion in Hospital Menus initiative. These programs demonstrate how collaboration and community voices help create more accessible, responsive, and person-centred care.
The panel discussion featured representatives from Safer Care Victoria, the Migrant Information Centre, and Eastern Health, who shared valuable insights about the impact of lived experience expertise and community knowledge in shaping better health outcomes. A common theme emerged throughout the discussion: when we work together as equal partners, we can design healthcare that is not only clinically excellent, but also compassionate, respectful, and truly centred on the needs of our community.
The positive feedback from attendees reinforced the value of coming together to listen, learn and share ideas.
Thank you to Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Elder Colin Hunter for performing the Welcome to Country, all the leaders for openly sharing and engaging in conversation with community, to Eastern Health staff for sharing key initiatives in their areas, and to the consumer representatives, community organisations, and groups for their ongoing commitment to championing the needs of community.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank the Eastern Health Foundation and our event sponsors, Community Bank Inner East, for their support and attendance.
Together, we continue to innovate, learn and lead, creating better outcomes for our community.
