The CMWB Regional Consumer Network
The CMWB Regional Consumer Network service was established in 2002. It currently operates from offices in Mt Eden Rd with a core staff of three.
The Network mission statement is;
“To provide an information and communication base, by and for consumers, which acts as a conduit between consumers, service providers, funders and policy makers”
Frequently Asked Question’s
Why is there a consumer network?
The network is a result of years of work and commitment by many people who saw the need for a cohesive consumer network providing a data base of and for consumers.
Who runs the network?
There is a management team of administration and networking staff who do the day-to-day management of the service. The team all identify themselves as consumers.
The governance and policy making is done by the Council for Mental Well Being, a mental health consumer initiative which has been operating in the Auckland region for the past seven years. The Council was originally formed to take an active part in promoting consumer issues and to participate within the mental health arena both locally and nationally.
How is it funded?
The service is funded with a 3 FTE (full time-equivalent) contract from the Auckland District Health Board on behalf of itself along with the health boards of the Northern District, Waitemata and Counties Manukau.
What area do you cover?
Our network’s region stretches from the Bombay Hill to Cape Reinga. We offer an umbrella service for the smaller local networks who work from a local perspective.
What do you actually do?
We are developing a data base of service providers and consumers- individuals and consumer groups. Information provided by consumers is confidential- we only use it to contact the person who gave us their name.
- With this data base we can keep consumers informed about what is happening that affects them, whether it is health policy and funding, housing, benefits or other issues of interest.
- Information is offered to consumers in booklet form, huis, the web, mail-outs, email such as the Newslitt newsletter. Past copies of these are viewable under the NEWSLETTERS tab.
Aren’t other people doing this?
No. No-one in the Auckland region is running a consumer driven regional network. There are other programs and publications that target the general population (like the Destig program) or a small population (like newsletters from the individual services).
Our focus is a broader perspective for information sharing, facilitating groups and huis with consumers. However we are mindful of the need to link and share with all other networks in the region.
What about the future plans?
We will continue facilitate meetings and hui’s around the region inviting consumers to give us continuing input into what they want out of the network.
Consumer perspectives on the planning and delivery of mental health services of district health boards are requested at times and the network facilitates consumer input into these.
Some individual consumers focus on specific areas, such as promoting the mental health benefits of healthy eating. The network seeks to assist those efforts where the benefit of those approaches could not otherwise be derived.
We welcome contact from interested consumers in our region.
Please phone 09 623 1762 and leave your contact details and we will put you on our mailing list, or email office@rcnet.co.nz
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