Consumers Health Forum of Australia

02/03/2026

- Catch up on our CHF Talks Webinar 3: Mis- and Disinformation and the Impact on Preventative Health.

Last week's webinar explored how mis- and disinformation can influence preventative health decisions and highlighted the importance of clear, balanced and trustworthy information.

"Good health information doesn't promote one treatment over another, it promotes balanced facts," said Di Spillane, Consumer Co‑Commentator.

One participant noted, "The important information shared in this webinar needs to be seen by as many people as possible!"

Watch the replay and join the conversation in the comments on how mis- and disinformation can shape our health care decisions:

As part of our commitment to preventive health, CHF hosts quarterly public webinars under the banner of CHF Talks, which brings together consumers, experts a...

27/02/2026

Dental health is so important to preventative and overall health, yet in Australia many people forgo care because its too costly.

We want to hear from you about public dental care so we can advocate to the government to include dental care in Medicare.

We know this would allow so many more Australians to access dental care and would improve preventative healthcare across Australia.

Join Australia's health panel today and let us know your thoughts by scanning the QR code or visiting https://ow.ly/nKRJ50YmNF4

24/02/2026

The women who shared their lived experience on last night’s Four Corners story are extraordinarily brave.

The story exposes a structural tension in private hospital care: surgeons often operate independently, yet their procedures generate revenue for hospitals. When concerns arise, that shared financial interest can create reluctance to act. Consumers deserve systems that put safety ahead of income.

Every single consumer deserves to feel safe and to receive appropriate interventions when accessing medical treatment, regardless of where that treatment is provided. The fact that warnings, complaints and red flags were raised over several years, yet not acted upon, demands urgent accountability. CHF welcomes the statement from the Victorian Premier, announcing that the allegations have been referred to Victoria Police.

AHPRA is the national regulator responsible for ensuring medical practitioners are trained, qualified and are practicing safe care. It is both a simple and obvious expectation that when allegations are made about a medical practitioner, Ahpra investigates them seriously and urgently. The ABC has reported multiple cases where it appears complaints were dismissed or not acted upon, despite mounting concerns. If that has occurred here, Ahpra must not only explain why, but also demonstrate what has changed to prevent it happening again.

There is also significant work Ahpra must undertake to ensure consumers understand how to make complaints. It should not take consumers being harmed for them to learn how the system works. The complaints system must be accessible and supported, including through properly resourced consumer organisations.

The system has failed these women. This is a moment for systemic reform. For private hospitals. For regulators. For health care practitioners. And above all, for the consumers who deserve a system worthy of their trust

CHF stands with every consumer impacted, and we will not look away.

Watch the story here: https://ow.ly/lUtR50YkPys

23/02/2026

Curious about how My Health Record can actually make your health life easier? Join CHF, Australian Digital Health Agency and lived experience consumers for a two-part webinar series that cuts through the confusion and shows you how My Health Record really works.

In two short, interactive sessions, you’ll learn how to get started using My Health Record and hear directly from people who use it in their everyday healthcare.

Register today and see how simple managing your health information can be. https://ow.ly/wC1b50XZq09

23/02/2026

Last chance to register for the next CHF Talks webinar, tomorrow, Tuesday 24 February!

Our CEO Dr Elizabeth Deveny will be joined by consumer commentator Di Spillane, along with leading experts Professor Jason Kovacic and Dr Brooke Nickel, who will delve into the growing challenge of misinformation and disinformation and the real impact these have on preventive healthcare, trust and health decision making.

Register via the link below to secure your spot.

https://ow.ly/BMt150XX430

19/02/2026

CHF is delighted to welcome Di Spillane as the consumer co-commentator for our upcoming CHF Talks webinar exploring the impact of mis- and disinformation on health.

Di Spillane is an Australian consumer health advocate who uses her lived experience of late‑diagnosis Narcolepsy Type 1 to push for better awareness, earlier diagnosis, and fairer care for people with sleep disorders.

She has created and hosted Waking Up Tired: Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained, a podcast that shares real stories from the Australian narcolepsy community. Through her Waking Up Tired website and page, she provides clear, practical information to help people recognise early symptoms. She also runs the Living with Narcolepsy in Australia Facebook group, offering a supportive space for patients and families.

Di has represented Hypersomnolence Australia as part of its consumer forum and served as a delegate at Sleep DownUnder 2025. She was a World Sleep Day delegate in 2024, producing a video series on “Sleep Equity for Global Health,” and has worked with the international group PWN4PWN to support World Narcolepsy Day awareness.

She has presented to the Narcolepsy and Overwhelming Daytime Sleep Society of Australia about inequities in Australian sleep medicine, taken part in community radio interviews, and delivered a sleep‑health presentation for over‑50s at the Jack Young Centre for World Sleep Day 2025.

Please join Di and a lineup of expert speakers at the upcoming webinar by registering here: https://ow.ly/G2YY50XZVkl

18/02/2026

Private health insurance premiums are going up again by up to 4.41%, the biggest jump since 2017. And here’s the real issue: people can sometimes cope with expensive. But they can’t cope with unpredictable.

Health insurance premiums are rising faster than wages and faster than confidence in the product. And while the industry debates mechanics, consumers don’t see three industries arguing. They see one system failing to protect them.

People aren’t asking for miracles. They’re asking for predictability, fairness, and a product that works the way a reasonable person would expect.

People make rational choices about health cover based on price and their life stage. But accidents don’t respect life stages, and that’s where too many people fall through the cracks.

At the end of the day, no one wakes up thinking about regulatory models or codes of conduct. They wake up wanting to know that when they’re sick, the system will show up for them and treat them fairly.
Because in this transaction, the consumer is the least powerful and most vulnerable. And they should be protected.

Read more: https://www.chf.org.au/news-and-events/news/urgent-reform-needed-to-close-private-health-loophole

17/02/2026

Have your say on public dental care through our latest Australia's health panel survey.
This will inform how CHF advocates for change and what we will ask from government health policy.
Our survey on this topic is now live, you can complete it by following the link to Australia's Health Panel or scanning the QR code: https://www.chf.org.au/get-involved/australia-s-health-panel

17/02/2026

Join CHF, Australian Digital Health Agency and lived experience consumers to learn more about My Health Record in an upcoming two-part webinar series.

Part 1 will introduce the main features of My Health Record and include insights from a longtime user on how it helps them stay on top of their healthcare.

Part 2 will focus on the experience of a consumer who tried My Health Record for the first time after attending Part 1. They’ll talk about what they discovered, what surprised them, and what made getting started easier. We’ll also take your questions and discuss your experiences.

By the end of the series, you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to use My Health Record as a practical part of managing your health.

Register today and start taking control of your health information. https://ow.ly/8UmG50XXIYn

16/02/2026

Would you like to be in our next video?

We’re looking for 8–10 consumers from diverse backgrounds and identities to feature in a video about our 2025 National Consumer Sentiment Survey (NCSS) Report.

If you’re interested in reading this year’s findings, sharing your personal healthcare experience and feel comfortable filming a short video on your phone, we’d love to hear from you!

Apply via our website: https://www.chf.org.au/get-involved/consumer-engagement-opportunities/national-consumer-sentiment-ncss-survey-2025-report-consumer-reflections-video

EOIs close on 25 February at 12 PM (Melbourne/Sydney time).

Are you in? We'd love to hear your story.

12/02/2026

Another great news story on ABC TV this week, with our CEO, Dr Elizabeth Deveny reiterating the importance of access to medicine for the consumers, and the commercial reasons why companies decide not to be part of the PBS system.
Watch the whole story on YouTube:

Patients are being hit with excessive costs on a range of everyday prescription medicines because of flaws in the way Australia subsidises essential pharmace...

10/02/2026

Our CEO, Dr Elizabeth Deveny, spoke for ABC on common medicines being exempt from the new $25 PBS maximum script price, from eczema lotions to incontinence medicines, and the impact that cost has on consumers.
Dr Deveny shared that for consumers with chronic illness, the costs of private scripts could add up to a significant financial burden.
"It may not be that they've got one medicine to buy, but maybe it's half a dozen every time they go to the pharmacy," she said.
"For some companies, they will make more money if they don't go through that process because they can charge whatever they like," she added.
"So, it's a commercial decision."
For many consumers, access to medicine is even more important than access to the healthcare provider.
Read the full article on ABC news: https://ow.ly/7q1h50Yc4Lh