Stories that Travel – Reflections on a week with Care Opinion Australia

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of spending time with our partners at Care Opinion Australia, a week that took me from Brisbane, to Melbourne, and finally across to Perth. It’s hard to capture in a single blog the warmth, generosity and purpose I encountered at every stop, but I want to try. Because what I saw wasn’t just good practice in action, it was a reminder of why Care Opinion works, across borders, across systems, and across cultures.

A week of welcome

My journey began is Brisbane, where Care Opinion Australia is based. I was welcomed with the kind of openness that instantly makes you feel at home. The team, Rhonda Fleming, Rebecca Summerville, Sarah Higgins and Ellen McGovern-Greco, along side the AGPAL Group CEO Tina Janamian, created an atmosphere of partnership and shared purpose from the moment I arrived.

A particular highlight was meeting Michael Greco, the founder of Care Opinion in Australia. Despite meeting many times, this was our first time meeting in person. Michael’s passion for person-centred care and his long-standing commitment to building listening cultures across Australia was inspiring. It was a privilege to spend time with someone who has played such a pivotal role in shaping what Care Opinion has become in this part of the world.

What struck me most over those first days were the conversations: rich, thoughtful, future focused. I joined the team in meetings with government departments, healthcare organisations, and other people who wanted to understand how Care Opinion works, what difference it makes, and why a model born in the UK might matter in an Australian context. Every room I walked into (physical or online) held the same energy of curiosity, alignment and a genuine commitment to listening differently.

Different systems, Shared values

Australia’s health system’s are structured differently from those in the UK. But as we moved between discussions, it became clearer each day that the fundamentals, the things that matter the most, are the same.

People want to be heard.

Staff want to learn and improve.

Services want to build trust.

Leaders want insight they can act on.

And that is why Care Opinion works in Australia.

The model is not tied to a system, it is rooted in relationships, values and a belief that real stories have the power to shape safer, kinder and more person-centred care. Whether in a Scottish health board, a trust in England or Northern Ireland, or a health service in Western Australia, the same principles hold true:

When people bravely share their experiences, and when staff respond with humanity, change becomes possible!

A country-wide journey

Midway through the week, we travelled to Melbourne for more meetings, more conversations and more opportunities to explore what story-based feedback could unlock within Australia’s healthcare environment. Everywhere we went, there was a sense of openness, a willingness to consider new approaches and learn from what has worked internationally.

But it was Western Australia that offered the most powerful reminder of what is possible when an entire system embraces this work.

Finishing in Perth: seeing the impact up close

Care Opinion is now embedded across the state of Western Australia, and arriving in Perth felt like stepping into an example of what long term commitment to listening can look like.

We met with teams across healthcare services and system leaders. We heard how Care Opinion is used, not just as a feedback tool, but as a catalyst for change. Bringing patient and staff experiences closer together, strengthening transparency and shaping improvements that are both meaningful and measurable.

What inspired me the most were the people. The passion of the Care Opinion facilitators. The pride from the senior teams who track the stories and the change they can make. The sincerity with which leaders spoke about how stories anchor their thinking. And the unwavering dedication of the Care Opinion Australia team, whose support and expertise make all of this possible.

What I learned

The week left me with a simple truth; 

Care Opinion works not because of the technology, or the policies, or the specific structure behind it. It works because it honours something universal, the desire to be seen, heard and valued.

Every story in every country, reminds us that health and care is human at its core. And when systems choose to listen with humanity and respond with care, remarkable things can happen.

It also reminded me of the strength of our international partnerships. We are not just connected by a model, we are connected by shared values, a shared purpose and a belief in the transformative power of stories. Care Opinion Australia is living proof of that!

With Gratitude

To Tina Janamian, thank you for your leadership, your vision and for championing Care Opinion across Australia. Your commitment to person-centred care shines through in everything you do.

To Rhonda, Rebecca, Sarah and Ellen, thank you for your kindness, your humour, your passion and for giving me such a rich and inspiring week.

To Michael Greco, thank you for your pioneering spirit, your steadfast belief in the impact of story-based feedback, and for helping build the foundation upon which so much good work now stands.

And to everyone I met across Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, thank you for the conversations, the curiosity, the hospitality and the commitment you bring to making care better.

I left Australia with a full heart and a renewed sense of what’s possible.

Stories travel.

And when we listen to them, really listen, care truly changes.