Consumers and community members offer invaluable expertise drawn from their experience of health conditions and the health system. Their insights help us identify community priorities and highlight areas where research is most needed. By partnering with consumers and community members, we build trust and strengthen public confidence in research.
Increasingly, funding bodies, government agencies, and research institutions require meaningful consumer and community involvement at every stage of the research process. Evidence shows that such involvement enhances the quality, relevance, outcomes, and impact of research. By deepening consumer involvement, we ensure that Australian research meets international best practice and delivers benefits that truly matter to the community1,2.
Hear why Professor Helena Teede AM, prioritises consumer and community involvement in her work.
Numerous guidelines and statements highlight a range of closely aligned values and principles that form the foundation of consumer and community involvement. Here we highlight the advice of the Medical Research Future Fund Consumer Reference Panel (2023):
The panel recommends that consumers should be involved:
- At all stages of research, from defining the need/priority of a research question, refining the research question and research design through to conduct of the research and sharing and translation of results.
- In partnership with researchers, with consumers respected and recognised for the valuable and complementary knowledge, expertise and perspectives they bring to the research.
- Effectively, with sufficient time, resources and depth of relationships to enable consumers to understand and actively engage with and contribute to the research.
- Sensitively and safely, through research teams with strong and broad capacity and capabilities in consumer involvement, appropriate training and a supportive environment for consumers, and clearly defined and agreed roles.
- With broad diversity and equity, with the goal of increasing involvement of priority populations through culturally safe and appropriate engagement.
Please see additional resources that highlight the values and principles that underpin good practice in consumer and community involvement.
Approaches to Consumer and Community Involvement
Approaches to consumer and community involvement in health and medical research centre on fostering respectful, inclusive, and collaborative relationships. Here are some key approaches to consider:
Planning for Consumer and Community Involvement
Effective consumer and community involvement begins with careful planning. Below is a summary of key considerations to help you prepare for involving consumers and community members in your research project.
- Ensure there is clarity about the purpose of involving consumers in the research or project.
- Plan for who you want to involve and seek diverse involvement.
- Plan for early and sustained involvement.
- Commit to building relationships and trust. Consider that you might meet people in their setting.
- Offer flexible methods of involvement to attract a diverse range of consumers and to provide inclusive opportunities.
- Plan how you will work together. Consider what role consumers will play and what level of engagement they will have. See Engagement Frameworks resources for more information.
- Appoint a person to be a dedicated contact for consumers.
- Develop communication plans.
- Consider the support and training consumers might need. Prepare induction and orientation resources.
- Prepare budgets and understand organisational processes for consumer payment, reimbursement and recognition. See Payment, Reimbursement and Recognition for additional resources.