Mental Health Victoria – Croakey Conference News Service coverage of #Lived Experience online forum
Mental Health Victoria, in partnership with the Victorian Healthcare Association, ran an online forum on the importance of embedding the voice of lived experience in mental health system reform.
Croakey journalist Marie McInerney did an exceptional job of covering the event through both real-time social media posts and a written article summarising the discussion and themes that arose during the forum.
Her regular Twitter posts throughout the event generated lively discussion and helped emphasise and elevate the important contributions from the consumer voices.
The article that Marie wrote on the event, titled “Imagine a mental health system that meets the needs of consumers and carers” took the reader on a journey through the forum’s key themes along with images and other media to supplement the discussion. It received very positive feedback from all involved.

So happy to be creating and coding for such a dedicated, professional and good-humored team.

As CEO of the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC), it is my pleasure to write a testimonial for Croakey. In the past three years, VMIAC have happily engaged the services of Marie McInerney and her team at Croakey to cover major events in the life of VMIAC. We have been fortunate to have Croakey cover our awards night last year and our conference the year before. Marie has brilliantly captured the essence of our organisation and the views of our members and stakeholders. I cannot envisage a time when we will not engage Croakey as we find their brand of journalism uplifting, accurate and honest. Marie’s ability to draw out the stories she produces is wonderfully fresh and always empowering. I would not hesitate to recommend Croakey as a leading service to any event.

The old media is no longer able to meet the information needs of the 21st-century. News and opinion sites are blossoming but ones which specialise in, and have expertise in, healthcare in Australia are few and far between. Croakey Health Media’s focus on equity in primary care is unique and welcome. It fills an important niche, providing very thoughtful and useful analysis and commentary.

Croakey has been a platform which has encouraged Aboriginal voice and actively sought it out. I started out as a reader, then followed on Twitter, was a guest tweeter on @WePublic health, and have become a contributor. The more I got involved, the more I realised what an unique platform Croakey is, because of the way it challenges mainstream media.

I love the context and clarity that Croakey’s contributors bring to very complex issues. And the merch.

Croakey has pioneered an unprecedented role in providing an open forum for the revelation and exchange of thinking on health in Australia. Thanks to the indefatigable Croakey team, we have a place where players from all corners of health can share ideas, news and commentary.

If you work in the health area – and especially if you are a policy wonk, a political nerd, or a news fiend – then Croakey Blog is an essential component of your life. Croakey Blog and @Croakey tweets keep me informed about a wide range of health issues – the impact of budget cuts, new policy announcements and publications, expert opinions and commentary, and what’s being talked about at the conferences I’m unable to attend. I appreciate the timeliness, the broad scope of issues covered, and the breadth of expertise involved. And I particularly appreciate the strong commitment to social justice and tackling Indigenous disadvantage. I’m looking forward to the revamped and relaunched Croakey!

When writing grant applications and budgets, please consider including Croakey Health Media in your plans.