Almost 14% of people living within the South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) catchment speak a language other than English at home. Over 30% were born overseas.

Interpreter services are most commonly requested for patients speaking Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, Portuguese, Italian, Vietnamese, Serbian and Arabic.

The SMHS community includes people from many cultures and we are seeking individuals who represent this diversity to be part of a Community Advisory Group.

We want to understand more about patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds who have experienced becoming sicker in hospital, and where they or a family member have had to speak up about their concerns.

What we learn will help us to better plan how we can make it easier for people from CaLD backgrounds to escalate care for themselves, a family member or someone they care for when they are in hospital.

'Escalate care' simply means that you can easily tell us if you are worried about a change in your, or your loved ones condition.

We are looking for 6-8 people from CaLD backgrounds to form a Community Advisory Group (CAG).

The CAG will help us to understand why it may be hard for you to escalate care, and how we can make it easier.

We are looking for members that can answer yes to the following questions;

• Do you have a diverse cultural and linguistic background?
• Were you born outside of Australia?
• Do you speak English well?
• Is English your second language?
• Do you live in the Perth metropolitan area?
• Do you have experience as a patient, or a family member of a patient, who became sicker in hospital and raised concerns about your condition? (We would prefer you to have this experience, but it is not essential).

This project will run for three years. It is led by a researcher who works at Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group and who is completing her PhD at Curtin University.

The CAG will meet four times per year (minimum), over three years.

Meetings will run for approximately 2 hours.

An honorarium (payment) of $40 per hour for meetings will be offered, with a minimum of $80 per meeting.

Meetings will take place at a location agreed on by the majority of the CAG. For example, Fiona Stanley Hospital or Curtin University (Bentley Campus).

Training and support will be provided.

Applications closed Thursday 29th February 2024.