Sue Rawlinson

Consumer Representative

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

“I’m a consumer representative on the SESLHD District Consumer and Community Council (DCCC) and co-chair of the Royal Hospital for Women’s Consumer Committee. I was invited to become a consumer advocate on my last day of work at The Royal. It will be four years now and I really enjoy it.

Gerry Marr, SESLHD Chief Executive, has introduced us to the concepts of co-design and co-production which I think are very exciting and very progressive. It is about community members, consumers, forming a true partnership with their local health services. It means that consumers should be equal partners, as they have the expertise, knowledge and experience about what their issues are and can help work towards solutions; then the health professionals, with their skills, work with the consumer and the community to develop meaningful programs.

I think there are some wonderful programs happening in the district. I am in a very fortunate position to be invited to help judge the area’s innovation and improvements awards.  It’s terrific. With such a large district and so many hospitals, as a consumer you’re not really privy to everything that’s going on. This is an opportunity for me to see some fantastic programs. I encourage our DCCC to invite some of these people to tell us what they’re doing.  Some of them involve quite serious and active engagement with the consumer.”