Trish Adams is the newest voice of Agnes in our health system’s continued journey towards transformation.
The dedicated volunteer has joined the Canterbury Clinical Network Alliance Leadership Team (ALT) as a consumer perspective.
In welcoming Trish, ALT Chair Sir John Hansen stressed the importance of a consumer voice in a clinician-led health system.
“Clinical leadership is central to the delivery of our vision as we recognise that clinicians are in the best position to make decisions about how to redesign services to achieve the best outcomes.
“But you’re the people here representing ‘Agnes’ – and ‘Agnes’ is what we’re all here for. So it’s very good to have someone here to keep reminding us of that.”
Agnes is the Canterbury health system’s prototypical patient. She represents the most important part of a health system – the people accessing the services. As Canterbury continues to transform its health system, consumers are an incredibly important perspective. A person-centred health system means that any decisions made about how health services are delivered are in the best interests of the consumers accessing those services.
Trish certainly is a great advocate for ‘Agnes’. She’s a retired nurse that has dedicated herself to making community services better for people, volunteering in more than nine committees and steering groups around Canterbury.
In health, Trish has been involved with Canterbury’s Patient Portal, HealthOne, the Falls Prevention Programme, Osteoporosis Canterbury and Age Concern Canterbury, just to name a few.
The long-time volunteer was also recently appointed Chair of the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) Consumer Council.
Trish joins the other perspectives around the ALT table, helping lead the alliance in its mission to provide leadership to the transformation of the Canterbury health system.
She replaces Michael McEvedy, who stepped down after nearly six years helping the consumer voice be heard in our health system.
In his final report to the Canterbury DHB Consumer Council, Michael reflected on the increasing input of consumers to Canterbury’s health system.
“I can say that a patient’s difficulties in navigating and receiving the best care is much better understood...but we must acknowledge that we still have a long way to go in some areas.”