Stakeholder involvement in primary health care research: report and recommendations

Abstract

Australia has not progressed in engaging consumers in research to the same level as other countries such as the UK. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Consumers’ Health Forum (CHF) introduced a Statement on Consumer and Community Participation in Health and Medical Research in 2002 (2), but little in terms of follow up and implementation has occurred. Some universities (e.g., University of Western Australia (UWA)) and peak bodies (e.g., Cancer Council) have established processes for involving consumers in research but these efforts have not spread far beyond their own organisations.