About Us
Our Community
Community Participation
The Eye and Ear values the participation of consumers, carers and community members and their participation is important in working towards achieving high levels of patient centred care.
"Participation occurs when consumers, carers and community members are meaningfully involved in decision-making about health policy and planning, care and treatment, and the wellbeing of themselves and the community. It is about having your say, thinking about why you believe in your views, and listening to the views and ideas of others. In working together, decisions may include a range of perspectives." (Department of Health, 2009)
The Eye and Ear welcomes input and feedback from patients, carers and the community. We have a Community Advisory Committee which provides advice to the Board on effective consumer and community participation in service development and delivery. The committee membership includes consumers, carers, and community members, along with members of the Board and staff. One of the key roles of the Community Advisory Committee is to develop and monitor the hospital’s Community Participation Plan, which aims to increase opportunities for consumer, carers and the community to be involved in their care and provide advice to the Hospital, within a patient centred care approach.
Consumer participation and patient centred care at Eye and Ear is guided by the Department of Health’s Doing it with us not for us Policy (2009).
The Eye and Ear welcomes input and feedback from patients, carers, administrative staff and the wider community. Each year we produce a Quality of Care Report, which is an opportunity for patients and the community to access information about how the Eye and Ear is improving quality and safety and increasing community particiaption. You can read our latest Quality of Care Report and provide your feedback online. For more information about our Community Advisory Committee contact Kellie Michel, the Manager – Community Engagement and Participation, on 03 9929 8598, or Kellie.Michel@eyeandear.org.au.
Disability Access
The Eye and Ear is committed to providing equal access to our services and facilities for people living with disability. We have developed a progressive Disability Action Plan which works towards meeting the needs of patients and the community.Every year we review our progress rigorously, looking for ways to improve.
For more information on access and our Disability Action Plan, contact the Planning and Innovation Division on 03 9929 8954.
Cultural Diversity
Victorians come from over 200 different countries and speak over 230 different languages and dialects, so it is not surprising that our patients come from very diverse backgrounds. To make sure we are responsive to their needs and care for all patients in a way that is both effective and culturally sensitive we have developed a Cultural Diversity Plan. The plan is overseen by the Eye and Ear’s Cultural Diversity Committee that provides guidance and advice to the Executive.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
The eye and ear health of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is an important issue at the Eye and Ear. Our approach is both hands on and strategic. The hospital's Aboriginal Health Plan for 2011 – 2013 is aligned with the key result areas of the Improving Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients (ICAP) program and focuses on improving service provision to Aboriginal patients by taking a service wide approach. We have appointed an Aboriginal Health Committee to oversee the Aboriginal Health Plan with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal patients of the hospital. We also actively participate in programs such as eye and ear screening for Aboriginal children in the community.