Consumer and community participation

Background
The establishment of Consumer and Community Advisory Councils at Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (TICHR) and The UWA School of Population Health (SPH) is the culmination of initiatives and collaboration with various sectors of the Western Australian community undertaken over a number of years. These initiatives aimed to increase and enhance consumer and community participation in research which will be translated into policy and practice to improve health outcomes.

In 2003 a National Health and Medical Research Council Capacity Building Grant enabled the shared appointment of a Consumer Research Liaison Officer between TICHR and SPH. This role is unique in Australia and was a direct result of collaboration between SPH and the Health Consumers’ Council (WA).
Significant achievements of the role to date has been greater involvement of consumers and the community in research projects undertaken at both organisations as well as ongoing extensive collaboration with consumer and community groups.

In 2004 a strategic plan was developed and implemented at TICHR and SPH to address the multi-faceted requirements of a consumer and community participation strategy and to:

• Support the ethos of the joint National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Consumers Health Forum of Australia Statement on Consumer and Community Participation;
• Expand and build on current initiatives such as the work being done by the Kulunga Research Network in Aboriginal health;
• Enact a model to manage organisational change;
• Address foreshadowed NHMRC accreditation requirements;
• Add value to research through collaboration with consumers and the community; and
• Increase competitiveness for National Competitive Grant funding stemming from these collaborations.

Achievements
Implementation of the first two phases of the strategic plan in 2004/05 included an audit of existing activities; development of an organisation wide Consumer and Community Participation Policy and further collaboration with the Health Consumers’ Council (WA).

A joint TICHR / SPH Steering Committee of researchers and representatives from the Health Consumers’ Council, the Cancer Foundation, Cochrane Consumer Network, Diabetes WA, Arthritis WA, Down Syndrome Association WA, and Aboriginal Health was convened in September 2005. There has been significant work done in consultation with the Steering Committee to develop Business Plans; Consumer and Community Participation Policy Guidelines; Consumer and Community Advisory Council Vision; Terms of Reference; support structures for consumer and community members; and develop evaluation methods, milestones and performance measures.
The Consumer and Community Advisory Councils were established at both organisations in late 2006.

Future Directions
The following tasks are planned for 2007:

• Develop and deliver training for consumers, community members and researchers involved in research teams in collaboration with Health Consumers Council (WA);
• Develop resources such as:
• Manual on consumer and community participation in health research
• Consumer and community participation websites;
• Establish ongoing tasks for the Consumer and Community Advisory Councils; and
• Evaluate and report to the community of Western Australia of the achievements of the Consumer and Community Advisory Councils.

 
Making contact
We would appreciate feedback or comments on our Consumer and Community Engagement Strategy.
Please forward your comments to the Consumer Research Liaison Officer either by telephone 08 94897777 or by email consumers@ichr.uwa.edu.au.
If you require a response please remember to include your contact details.