Expression of Interest: Consumer Member of the Enhanced Consumer Engagement Process Co-design Group

Overview

The 2022-2027 Strategic Agreement between the Commonwealth and Medicines Australia includes a commitment to the co-design of an Enhanced Consumer Engagement Process (clause 6.3.2).

The co-design aims to facilitate the capture of consumer and patient perspectives earlier in the health technology assessment (HTA) process to assist the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee and other HTA advisory bodies to obtain an understanding of issues arising from new technologies, innovations and the associated implications for consumers. 

More information on the co-design of an Enhanced Consumer Engagement Process can be found on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme website.

What is the Co-design Group?

A Co-design Group (Group) is being established to develop the Enhanced Consumer Engagement Process. The Group will consist of:

• five consumer members 
• two industry members 
• two Department of Health and Aged Care (Department) members 

There may also be other occasional members as needed. 

The Group will work with an independent facilitator to co-design and agree upon an Enhanced Consumer Engagement Process to capture consumer voices in respect of applications to list new medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

What is involved?

It is anticipated that the Co-design Group will meet up to five times between August and October 2023. These meetings may be face-to-face workshops or short online meetings. The Group will be required to pre-read meeting documents and if necessary be consulted on an ad-hoc basis between meetings. The total time commitment is expected to be approximately six days over the three-month period. Consumer members will be remunerated for their time.

Applying to be a consumer member 

Applications for consumer member roles are open to all health consumers and representatives of health consumer organisations.

 A selection panel of consumer peers will be established to assess applications and confirm the five consumer members in the Group.

What to consider before applying

• Please read the selection criteria and role description at the end of this webpage. This provides guidance on the expectations for consumer members.
• The application form requires applicants to respond to each criterion specified for the role.
• You can answer the questions via the online form or upload a file.

The Expression of Interest Application Form is provided at the end of webpage for your information.

What happens next

Notification of consumer member selections

Successful candidates will be contacted by the Department to confirm their selection.

Remaining candidates will be advised by the Department if unsuccessful on this occasion and may be asked about their interest in future consumer roles.