Community Collaboration Committee

The RANZCP partners with people with lived experience of mental illness (also referred to as consumers) and carers, through our Community Collaboration Committee.

The Committee is made up of six RANZCP Fellows (psychiatrists) and eight community members: two carers and two consumers from Australia, and two carers and two consumers from New Zealand. 

The purpose of the Committee is to ensure the College considers the needs, values and views of the community.

Role 

The role of the Committee is to:

• develop policy and standards of practice and provide advice with respect to involving consumers, carers and family (whānau) in mental health care
• increase awareness of consumer and carer concerns in the training of psychiatrists
• build relationships with other mental health organisations
• contribute to RANZCP publications and present at RANZCP Congress.

Community representatives also sit on a broad range of other RANZCP committees as full voting members to ensure the views of the community are considered in RANZCP activities. In particular, there are representatives on the Members' Advisory Council, an important group that provides advice to the RANZCP Board.

Values

Community members represent the needs, values and views of the community. The lived experience of consumers and their families, whānau and other carers is invaluable and can contribute an alternative perspective to that of a doctor. 

Consumers and carers offer personal insights and new ideas to help improve the mental health system. They also help tackle negative community beliefs about mental illness.

Achievements

The Committee has helped drive a culture change towards a more open and community-friendly RANZCP, by:

• reviewing the language used in RANZCP documents to ensure it makes sense to the community
• contributing a community perspective to relevant RANZCP Committees
• helping develop a range of practical resources for the community (see Your Health in Mind)
• developing policies and position statements to influence health care policy and delivery.

Responsibilities

• develop policy and provide advice to the Board and across the broader College regarding the College’s relationship with consumers and carers, community groups and other mental health professionals
• act as a resource to provide assistance in the identification and maintenance of external relationships
• investigate and assess evidence for and outcomes associated with collaborative mental health care models
• develop policy and advice and standards of practice in respect to models of collaborative mental health care
• develop policy and advice and standards of practice regarding models for family/whanau involvement in mental health care
• support the development of appropriate collaborative care networks, collaborative discussion and exchange in New Zealand and Australian mental health contexts
• act as a vehicle for providing support for consumers and carers involved in other committees within the College structure.

Meeting frequency

The Committee typically meets four times per calendar year.

Community Member Remuneration

Community members will be remunerated in acknowledgement of their time on each committee and/or approved project they are a part of. 

Community Member Remuneration Policy

Regulations

For a copy of the Committee Regulations, please contact governance@ranzcp.org.

Contact

Contact the committee at binational.committees@ranzcp.org.