Helen Belcher is from the Lower Hunter and has been a member of the Hunter Manning Community Advisory Committee since inception.
Helen is a retired academic and has a PhD, Masters Health Planning, Grad Dip Social Administration and a BA. She has a background in nursing, health sociology, health planning and governance, and community participation and engagement.
Helen is a former Board Member Hunter New England Local Health District, and former chair of the Board‘s Community and Patient Partnership Committee and Health Care Quality Committee. Currently she is a member of the Urgent Care Services Governance Committee, the Maitland Health Committee, Lower Hunter Clinical Committee, Health Consumers NSW, Health Consumers NSW Consumer Leaders Taskforce, and an associate member Consumers Health Forum Australia. Helen has recently been appointed to the National Clinical Governance Committee Calvary.
Helen is a passionate advocate for community engagement and participation. Better health outcomes for patients and a better health system are achieved when consumers are engaged in the design, delivery and evaluation of health care. Her interest extends to health planning, health care quality and safety, integration of health services, remote and regional health, social determinants of health, care navigation, and social prescribing.
Helen’s interests are shaped by a desire for better health outcomes; a safe, efficient and integrated health system; and equitable access for all. Helen was motivated to join the CAC by her desire to bring her extensive experience to the table in order to achieve better health outcomes for patients, their families and their communities. She believes her experience might assist HNECC PHN to better partner with stakeholders, not the least consumers, from across the health care system.