Community voices shaping Adelaide PHN

Adelaide PHN is committed to honest and genuine community-wide involvement, consultation and codesign activities. Our advisory structure comprises the Clinical Council (CC), Community Advisory Council (CAC), and Aboriginal Community Advisory Council (ACAC). The CC is composed of General Practitioners and Allied Health professionals, while the CAC and ACAC include community members with diverse lived experiences across various health priority areas.

Together, our Councils play a crucial role in shaping Adelaide PHN’s programs, services, and activities by providing deep insights into community needs and opportunities. This engagement is facilitated through community consultations, which are vital for comprehending the community’s requirements.

Kitchen Table Discussions

Kitchen Table Discussions are a consumer engagement tool that enables Adelaide PHN to hear community views on varied health topics.

Since 2022, Adelaide PHN has utilised Kitchen Table Discussions to hear the voices of consumers and carers who do not generally participate in any formal consultations.

Since introducing Kitchen Table Discussions, twenty kitchen tables with 260 participants have taken place and covered topics such as after-hours access, aged care, population health, workforce, early intervention, suicide, eating disorders, alcohol and other drugs.

The strength of Kitchen Table Discussions is that they are facilitated by members of our Community Advisory Councils who are supported by Adelaide PHN to become community hosts. Kitchen Tables hosts are provided opportunity to lead conversations with their own community in a safe, friendly and supportive environment.

Importance of the Discussions

• Enables access to a broad and diverse cross-section of community.

• Community members feel their voice is heard, and their views are valued.

• Increases consumer knowledge and awareness about the services, as well as helps support their health literacy.

How Feedback informs Planning and Design

Adelaide PHN then engages members of the Adelaide PHN Board with members from across our Councils to undertake priority setting or prioritisation to ensure our process is one that is balanced and takes account of the views of different stakeholders, is transparent, fair and reasonable.

Adelaide PHN seeks input from members of our Councils and people with Lived Experience to co-design and co-create services and programs to address local needs using locally informed, place-based frameworks for delivering models of care. Our work helps people access safe, equitable and timely health care where it’s most needed. Employing various methods, such as Kitchen Tables, Yarning Circles, surveys, interviews, workshops, and focus groups, ensures genuine and meaningful community participation in consultations and co-design processes.

Adelaide PHN values community input into our processes, considering it fundamental to our strategic intent to deliver improved health outcomes for vulnerable people. The involvement of our Advisory Councils provides assurance that our initiatives are reflective of and responsive to the community’s needs, creating a healthier Adelaide.