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Community Advisory Committee

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The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is a sub-committee of the Board of Directors of Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV). The committee members are made up of consumers, carers, members of the community and members of the Board. Meetings are held quarterly to discuss issues of importance to consumers and carers in general, in particular those issues affecting people considered at a disadvantage. The CAC provides advice to the Board of Directors and maintains a close eye on DHSV’s community participation projects.

CAC members are people with experience in a range of areas and have worked with groups such as young people and families, indigenous people, people with disabilities and people from different backgrounds. CAC members are committed to supporting the needs of various groups within the Victorian community and often participate in other committees and groups.

To communicate with the CAC or to provide feedback, please email community@dhsv.org.au.

Documents of interest

PDF doc icon DHSV Strategic Framework for Community and Consumer Engagement 2016-2021 [PDF, 1.07MB]
PDF doc icon CAC Terms of Reference [PDF, 124KB]

Community Advisory Committee members

Community Advisory Committee members:

David Stevenson - DHSV Board Member, CAC Chair, Audit and Risk Committee member

David has over 20 years’ experience as a CEO and Senior Executive, both in Australia and internationally. He has worked with iconic brands such as Nike, and Foot Locker in the consumer goods and retail sectors and in the sport sector, the AFL and the Western Bulldogs as CEO. He is also founder and partner of Bold Works, a company that helps businesses develop their Bold future or execute bold ideas. David is passionate about developing people, setting a Bold vision, developing a strong strategic plan and focusing on execution to deliver results. David is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a Bachelor of Business (Management) from Monash university.

Nicole Bartholomeusz

Nicole Bartholomeusz has worked extensively in public health and government in executive and non-executive roles for over 20 years and is currently the Chief Executive of cohealth.

Nicole has a background as a clinician and has a Masters in Business Administration. Nicole has a strong interest in health policy, service planning and redesign together with leading and managing change and governance of health services and not for profit organisations.

Charles Power

Charles is a legal practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in workplace relations and safety law.  He has been partner of the law firm Holding Redlich since 2002.  His board experience includes service on the Committee of Early Learning Association Australia between 2014 and 2018.

Charles is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a workplace relations specialist.

Sandra Anderson

Sandra is a registered volunteer at University Hospital Geelong. She volunteers on The Barwon South Western Integrated Cancer Services (BSWRICS) the Northern Community Advisory Committee, the Corio/Norlane Development Advisory Board, the State wide Residents’ Network and the Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres.  She recently completed her Certificate in Consumer Leadership with the Health Issues Centre and Certificate in Consumer Advocacy Training at the Cancer Action Victoria. Sandra has more than 31 years’ experience in planning, community development and implementation. In 2011 Sandra was awarded the National Volunteer Award for Long-Term Commitment to Community Service.

Andrea Cooper

Andrea is a professional communicator specialising in inclusion with expertise across a wide variety of sectors. She brings her professional expertise and lived experience of partial hearing loss to our CAC. She is an advocate for providing accessible information for people from diverse cultures, those with a communications disability, and those with low English literacy.

Rana Ebrahimi

Rana is a strategic adviser in diversity and inclusion, monitoring and evaluation. She has 16 years’ experience working with United Nations agencies and international NGOs globally. She is working at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to reduce racism.

Virendra (Vic) Khatana

Virendra Khatana was appointed to the DHSV CAC in April 2017. He has more than five years of experience working with asylum seekers and refugees in different onshore detention centres in Australia and offshore processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. He has worked closely with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and Department of Social Services. He is currently working as a Case Manager within the Humanitarian Settlement Services program, working with newly arrived refugees. Virendra qualified as a dentist in India before migrating to Australia in 2008. He is involved in the Refugee Women's Health Literacy Project run by Health Issues Centre and has keen interest in oral health, family violence and mental health issues in the community, particularly in the CALD community.

Roxanne Maule

Roxanne is a speech pathologist working in both the public and private sector. She has experience supporting people with a range of Progressive Neurological Diseases (including Motor Neurone Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Muscular Dystrophy and other more common conditions like Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis).  Privately she has experience with people who have significant disability as result of Acquired Brain Injury. She regularly refers patients to The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne and its Integrated Special Needs Unit Domiciliary Services.

Kevyn Morris

Kevyn is a furniture maker, artist and photographer. Since 2017, Kevyn has been an active advocate and member of the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee (DAAC). He has worked on a variety of projects with the DAAC providing information to department heads, staff and researchers.

Billy Park

Billy is a social researcher, volunteer and peer support person. Billy studied community services, mental health peer support and leadership. He brings experience in research and community services advocacy and support.

Heather Smith

Heather is a proud mum, a storyteller and advocate. She is a member of Voice At The Table, Reinforce Self Advocacy for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Positive Powerful Parents Self Advocacy Group (PPPSAG).

Wolfie Sun

Wolfie is a co-chair of the Gender Clinic Consumer Advisory Panel, a student and performer. Wolfie joined the CAC to support members of the queer community who are financially disadvantaged and find it difficult to access dental services.

Consumer Advisory Network (CAN)

We invite you to share your experiences! Give consumers a voice by joining our Consumer Advisory Network (CAN)

Hearing what you think is important. It makes sure that our services meet your needs and expectations. By working with the people who use our services we can improve the experience of Dental Health Services Victoria including the Dental hospital.

What type of things we could do together?

DHSV’s Community Advisory Network is a group of consumers that help us improve our services.
As a member you can:

  • give us feedback using surveys or feedback online
  • be interviewed about your experiences
  • test the design of our materials, websites, processes or spaces
  • participate in design workshops, community forums and focus groups
  • advocate for people and issues you care about
  • You can participate face-to-face, over the phone or online, whichever you prefer

How do I sign up?

There are two ways you can sign up to the CAN.

Call us

Call 9341180 for a chat

Email us

Email community@dhsv.org.au with your contact details and why you are interested in joining

Sign up online

https://dhsv.link/CAN

News and activities

Smile of the Year - Christi MalthouseChildren play in Hospital waiting room dedicated kids' area

View activities sponsored by the Community Advisory Committee:

  • Developed the DHSV Strategic Framework for Community and Consumer Engagement 2016 - 2021, to guide DHSV's community engagement strategy.
  • Presented the RDHM clerical team with a Disability Champions award to recognise the training they requested to assist people with vision and hearing loss.
  • Contributed to the Extensive Achievement rating DHSV received for its commitment to consumer participation during Accreditation. Surveyors noted DHSV’s strong commitment to patient-centred care.
  • Made improvements to the downstairs bathroom and change area to facilitate access for patients with a disability.
  • The CAC initiated a partnership with the Health Issues Centre to produce a special oral health edition of their Health Issues journal. The journal features an article from a CAC member about her personal journey to overcome her dental phobia.
  • A Welcome to Country ceremony was performed at The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne. It included the unveiling of a plaque which acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as traditional owners of the land on which the Hospital is built.
  • The CAC was instrumental in having representatives from all units at DHSV as well as partners from RMIT University and the University of Melbourne signing the Victorian Community Accord. The Community Accord is a public gesture which shows support of a multicultural community.
  • The committee was influential in DHSV organising an audit of The Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne building for compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act and the subsequent development of a Disability Action Plan to address findings.
  • The following actions on the Disability Action Plan have been sponsored by the CAC:

→ Signage on Swanston Street installed to direct people with disabilities to parking bays.

→ Parking bays on Swanston Street changed from 15 minute to 5 minute zones to make them drop-off points for people with mobility difficulties. Crossing paths created at both ends of drop-off zone.

→ A Disability Awareness Guide published and distributed to DHSV staff.

→ Disabled toilet facilities modified to improve accessibility.

  • Improvements were made to children’s spaces in waiting areas throughout The Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne. Thanks to funds provided by the Collier Charitable Foundation, a ‘cubby house’ was also created in the Day Surgery Unit.
  • Improvements were made to the Hospital’s ground floor main entrance. Patients and visitors are now received by a Meet and Greet Officer instead of a security guard, and seating is available outside the foyer for patients and relatives waiting for transport.
  • The process for collecting compliments and complaints was revised with DHSV’s Business Improvement Unit, and a new feedback form was developed. The CAC receives periodic reports on compliments and complaints.