Consumer and community involvement resources

Consumer and community involvement is a burgeoning area in health translation. A number of organisations have developed tools, tips and training to help the translational research community deliver best practice consumer engagement.

Some ways to involve health consumers include:

co-designing your project with a range of your stakeholders—clinicians, researchers, health consumers etc.
inviting consumer advocates to join project steering committee
establishing a community advisory group (needs to be resourced)
establishing a panel of consumers
conducting focus groups
getting to know your relevant patient advocacy group
recruiting consumers for interviews or other involvement through Health Consumers Queensland or your relevant patient advocacy group
conducting broad surveys through Health Consumers Queensland or your relevant patient advocacy group
conducting consumer forums
working compensation for consumer time into your project budget—consult the relevant government body for rates.