Consumer & Community Involvement

Western Alliance identifies consumer and community involvement (CCI) as an essential element of health and medical research.

By fostering strong connections between researchers, health organisations and the wider community, we support our member organisations within Western Victoria to drive high quality health research process, practice and translation.

What is CCI and why is it important?

CCI is where consumers and community representatives actively work with researchers and research organisations to help shape decisions about health research priorities, methods, policy, and practice. Consumers and community representatives are active and valued members of the research team.

CCI provides the opportunity for those directly affected by health issues to have a voice in shaping research priorities and outcomes. It does this by considering:

• Relevance: Consumers, including patients, caregivers, and advocacy groups, offer unique insights into the lived experience of health conditions. Their participation in research ensure research outcomes are meaningful and impactful for those directly affected.
• Ethical considerations: Involving consumers in research helps ensure that research is conducted ethically and with the needs and preferences of participants in mind.
• Quality: CCI enhances the quality and validity of research by providing diverse perspectives and expertise.
• Access and equity: By utilising CCI, interventions and strategies can be planned that promote equity and improve health outcomes for all.
• Empowerment: Consumers and community members gain trust, engagement, self-advocacy and a sense of ownership by participating in research.
• Knowledge translation: By involving stakeholders from the start of a research project, researchers can consider dissemination strategies that will promote effective communication to all stakeholders

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) identifies the benefits of CCI in the Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research 2016