Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF)

What Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) does

Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) is the national peak body representing healthcare consumers in Australia, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Canberra with 37 employees. The organization advocates for safe, quality, and timely healthcare for all Australians through policy submissions to government inquiries, placement of trained consumer representatives on federal and state health advisory committees, and public-facing education programs. CHF operates Australia's Health Panel as a national consumer sentiment survey, runs the CHF Talks webinar series on emerging health policy topics, publishes the Consumer Voices newsletter, and maintains the consumer-facing microsite 60dayscripts.com.au. Its work has influenced measurable policy outcomes including the Australian Government's 60-day prescription dispensing policy and the $3.5 billion Strengthening Medicare investment.

CHF's core technology consists of consumer engagement platforms and health policy research infrastructure, including Australia's Health Panel survey system and a CRM-style database of consumer representatives deployed to advisory bodies. There is no proprietary AI, no public API, and no developer-facing integrations documented in the source data.

As a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, CHF is funded primarily by Australian Government grants under the Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Programme and the Strengthening Medicare Program, with supplementary contracted research and engagement services revenue from partners such as the Australian Digital Health Agency. Recent government commitments include $10.5 million over four years for broadened consumer engagement and $500,000 in viability funding from the 2024 Federal Budget. CHF supplements grant revenue with a membership program for individuals and organizations. The organization's go-to-market is community-led: it influences federal health policy through formal advisory positions, coalition advocacy (such as the 2025 Coalition for Preventative Health Funding), and multi-channel consumer engagement including events, webinars, social media, and earned media. CHF does not operate as a commercial enterprise and has no parent company, subsidiaries, or M&A activity.

Name

Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF)

Legal name

Consumers Health Forum of Australia

Website

https://chf.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CHF is Australia's national peak body for healthcare consumers, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Canberra, advocating for affordable and accessible healthcare through policy submissions, consumer representative placements on government advisory bodies, and national engagement programs including Australia's Health Panel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Consumer Advocacy

akta.pro primary industry

Health Systems Strengthening & Universal Health Coverage (UHC) (BPADAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Census, Demographic & Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) (HLAJAJAH)

Keywords

• Health consumer advocacy
• Healthcare policy research
• Consumer engagement
• Health policy submissions
• Public health representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CHF receives core funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care as the national peak healthcare consumer body under the Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Programme. Additional funding comes from specific program grants including the Strengthening Medicare Program.
2. Contracted Research and Engagement Services: CHF receives funding from partners like the Australian Digital Health Agency for providing consumer insights into digital health initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CHF is the national peak body representing the interests of Australian healthcare consumers, advocating for safe, quality, and timely healthcare. The organization delivers policy submissions, places consumer representatives on government advisory bodies, conducts the Australia's Health Panel national survey, runs the CHF Talks webinar series, and provides health literacy resources.

Product overview

CHF is a health consumer advocacy organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of programs and services focused on representing Australian healthcare consumers: Australia's Health Panel (national consumer sentiment survey), the Consumer Engagement Program (placing consumer representatives on advisory bodies), CHF Talks webinar series, Consumer Voices newsletter, and the 60dayscripts.com.au educational website. CHF also produces policy submissions, budget responses, and resources to advocate for accessible, affordable, and safe healthcare for all Australians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program A membership offering for individuals and organizations who want to support and participate in health consumer advocacy, with access to events, briefings, and engagement opportunities.
• Consumer Engagement Program A program that connects health consumers with opportunities to participate in health policy development, advisory committees, and research initiatives as trained consumer representatives.
• Australia's Health Panel A national consumer survey panel that captures diverse Australian consumer views on health issues to inform CHF's policy positions and advocacy activities.
• CHF Talks Webinar Series An ongoing webinar series covering health topics including specialist costs, social determinants of health, misinformation, preventive healthcare, AI in healthcare, climate change, and digital health.
• 60dayscripts.com.au An informational website with fact sheets answering consumer questions about the Australian Government's 60-day prescription dispensing policy changes.
• Health Consumer Resources Resources, guides, and educational materials for consumers on health literacy, navigating the healthcare system, and understanding Medicare.

Quantifiable outcome

• CHF represented consumers on Strengthening Medicare Taskforce influencing $3.5 billion healthcare investment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Australian Government Department of Health and Aged CarecoreOthersCHF's key partner and primary funder under the Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Programme. Also funded under the Strengthening Medicare Program. CHF represents consumers on government health advisory bodies and taskforces.
• Australian Digital Health AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContracts CHF to provide consumer insights into digital health initiatives including My Health Record and digital health policy development.
• Medicines AustraliasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on the Working Together Guide which outlines how consumer organisations and pharmaceutical companies can interact ethically.
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on various aspects of consumer engagement in health safety and quality, including co-sponsoring the Shifting Gears Summit 2020.
• Australian Multicultural Health CollaborativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHF works with this collaborative on engagement of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in primary care reform.
• NSW HealthsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal Sponsoring Partner for the CHF 2020 Shifting Gears Summit.
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health CaresupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal Sponsoring Partner for the CHF 2020 Shifting Gears Summit.
• Australian Digital Health AgencysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal Sponsoring Partner for the CHF 2020 Shifting Gears Summit.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA): Australia's national peak body representing public hospitals, health services, and primary healthcare providers. Directly comparable to CHF as another federally-recognised health peak/advisory body engaged in health policy advocacy and funded through similar government programmes.
• Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS): National peak body for the community sector and people on low incomes in Australia. Comparable in advocacy model, federal funding pathway, and role of representing a constituency to government on social policy, intersecting with CHF's affordability agenda.
• Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA): Peak professional body for public health in Australia with a similar role of representing a constituency (public health professionals and the community) to government and producing policy submissions on health reform. Comparable in funding model (government grants, memberships) and policy advocacy scope.
• Carers Australia: National peak body representing unpaid carers, funded under the same Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Programme as CHF. Highly comparable in funding model, advocacy role, and national peak-body structure, and is a natural co-advocate in consumer health policy.

Broad incumbents

• Consumers International: Global membership organisation for consumer groups across sectors including health. Comparable to CHF as a consumer advocacy body engaging governments on consumer-protection issues, though much broader than CHF's health-only focus.
• National Health Council (US): US-based umbrella organisation for health-related charities and patient advocacy groups. Comparable as an established, mature peak body providing a unifying consumer/patient voice to government, though operating at a larger scale and in a different jurisdiction.

Regional players

• Health Consumers Council of Western Australia: Western Australia's independent peak health consumer body. Closely comparable in mission (consumer representation in health policy) but operates at state rather than national level, providing a regional peer to CHF's national remit.
• Health Issues Centre (Victoria): Victorian-based health consumer and community engagement organisation. Shares CHF's consumer-advocacy orientation and survey/research-driven approach, but with a state-level rather than national focus.

Emerging players

• Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance: Alliance of chronic disease organisations that engages in preventive health advocacy, similar to CHF's Coalition for Preventative Health Funding. Comparable as a coalition-style advocacy body addressing health system reform.
• Australian Patient Advocacy Alliance: Emergent coalition of patient and consumer groups in Australia. A relevant emerging peer in the consumer health advocacy space, likely overlapping with CHF's mission and offering a comparison point on coalition-style organising.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CHFofAustralia
• Facebookfacebook.com/CHFofAustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/consumers-health-forum
• Instagraminstagram.com/consumershealthforumau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF)