NSW Ministry of Health is updating the NSW Health guidance for animal visits and interventions in NSW Health Services. They are seeking carers who support someone who uses an assistance animal or therapy animal. This includes carer(s) whose loved one has had, or would have benefited from, a visit from their pet while in hospital or another healthcare setting to participate in one of their focus groups.
The Social Policy and Health Equity (SPHE) branch is leading the review of NSW Health Guidelines for Animal Visits and Interventions in Public and Private Health Facilities in NSW (GL2012_007). SPHE invites you to join a focus group and share your feedback. Your feedback will help them to better understand the needs of the people you support and ensure these are considered early in the development of the new guidelines.
Focus group details:
Date: Friday, 4 September 2026
Time: 1.00pm – 2.30pm
Location: Virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams
Remuneration: $125 for participation in the focus group and pre-reading.
The Expression of Interest closes on Monday, August 31st at 5.00pm.
More information: https://www.mentalhealthcarersnsw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/EOI_Animal-Visits-and-Interventions_2026.pdf
Complete the EOI: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NSWGuidelinesAnimalVisits
25th August, 2026