WA Advisory Councils give the community a say on health

WA Country Health Service has established seven District Health Advisory Councils (DHACs) in the South West region.

The councils will be located in Leeuwin, Naturaliste, Bunbury, Leschenault, Wellington, Blackwood and the Warren districts and would allow individuals and organisations to have a say on important health issues affecting their communities.

The DHACs will represent the community and ensure that the people who are most affected can have input into health policy and the development of local health services.

Members will focus on issues such as improving access to services and information, providing community input into service development, providing information on priority health issues and advising on solutions to local health issues.

The councils were established as a result of the recent amalgamation of the South West into the WA Country Health Service and will replace South West program reference groups proposed at the Community Health Forum in October 2005.

Community members wishing to express an interest in becoming a member of the DHAC’s can respond to advertisements being placed in local papers.