Area Health Advisory Council

About the Area Health Advisory Council

Area Health Advisory Councils (AHACs) were introduced by the NSW Minister for Health in 2005 as part of the reorganisation of the State's health system, to increase clinician and consumer input into the planning and development of health services.

Since its establishment, the South Eastern Sydney Illawarra AHAC has been undertaking its responsibility to advise the chief executive on issues such as consumer and carer participation, health service planning and budgets, and workforce development.

The AHAC:

• Directly advises the Chief Executive
• Is responsible for facilitating the involvement of health consumers, local community members and clinicians in the development of policies, plans and strategies for the provision of health services
• Is comprised of clinical and non-clinical community representatives who ideally live or work within the suburbs and towns serviced by the Area Health Service.

The primary focus of the AHAC to date has been to ensure that a model for consumer participation, which is suitable to both consumers and carers and the organisation, is implemented throughout the Area Health Service.