Health Consumers Alliance

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:33): Supplementary: given that the minister has referred to regional health boards and there being consumer voices coming from that, what does he expect to be the gap in time between the operational nature of the Health Consumers Alliance—their ability to continue—and the establishment of the regional health boards, and how does he think that people will be able to be funded to have a voice that is coordinated in the meantime?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:33): There will be no gap. The Health Consumers Alliance funding goes to the beginning of the next financial year. I have met with the Health Consumers Alliance and encouraged them to engage the chairs of the local health network boards who have already been appointed because, from 1 July 2019, they will be operating, and they have a statutory duty under our legislation to engage consumers. The Health Consumers Alliance is well placed to play a role in that service.