Logan Hospital’s dedicated Consumer Partners recently put their engagement skills to the test, taking a new approach to collecting feedback from patients, carers and community members.
Each year, the team encourages people in the hospital to share their experiences and ideas to help shape the future of our health service. This year, that feedback will help inform Metro South Health’s new Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy 2027–2030.
Partnering with Consumers Coordinator Sarah Collins said the best way to hear what mattered to patients and the community was often to simply meet them where they were, so that is exactly what the team did, ditching the usual pop-up stall for a ‘walk around engagement activity’.
“Rather than asking people to come to us, the team walked through the hospital and spoke with people while they waited for their appointments,” she said.
Using consumer co-designed questions and a small clipboard to capture responses, the team found patients, carers and community members were more willing to have a conversation and share their experiences.
In just two hours, the team spoke with 49 patients, carers and community members, as well as 30 staff members, reaching a total of 79 people.
“It’s amazing what our patients and community share with you when we ask in a person-centred way that is easy to engage with,” Sarah said.
The feedback gathered at Logan will be combined with engagement from across Metro South Health to help shape the new strategy, which will guide how we partner with consumers, carers and communities over the next four years.
The engagement is also continuing across the region, with Sarah set to join local Beaudesert Consumer Partners and staff at the Beaudesert Show on Friday 4 September to hear directly from the local community.