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 (CCC).

The CCC 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 committee meets regularly throughout the year.

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

What does the CCC do?

The role of the CCC 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.

CCC 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 CCC representatives on the Members' Advisory Council, an important group that provides advice to the RANZCP Board, which governs the RANZCP.

Community Collaboration Committee Regulations [PDF; 50 KB]

Procedure: Appointment of community members to College committees [PDF; 50KB]

Why is the CCC important?

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.

What has the CCC achieved?

The CCC 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.

Committee Member Commitment Required

Committee key responsibilities include:

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:

two face-to-face meetings (typically up to 6 hours’ duration per meeting with one meeting at the RANZCP Congress). In light of COVID-19, any face-to-face meeting will be held by other methods.
two teleconference meetings (typically up to 1.5 hours’ duration per meeting).

A committee member may also be required to respond to emails between formal meetings.

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 consistent with the Australian Government Remuneration Tribunal (Remuneration and Allowances for Holders of Part-time Public Office).

Contact

Contact the committee at PPPC.Mailbox@ranzcp.org.