Consumer and Community Involvement – UPDATE DRAFT
MACH ensures that the consumer voice is heard throughout our work and incorporated into the development of health and medical research in Australia. Explore our networks and resources below.
MACH is committed to supporting consumers, community members, researchers, and research organisations working in partnerships to improve the health and well-being of all Australians through research. In addition to ensuring consumer representation on MACH committees and networks, we also support our partner organisations with consumer recruitment and collaboration.
MACH committees and networks
MACH operates under best practice standards in line with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s statement on Consumer and Community Involvement and our work is supported by the following committees and networks:
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MACH Consumer Advisory Panel
The Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP), reporting to MACH Board, provides guidance and advice on MACH activities from a consumer perspective.
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VCCC-MACH Consumer Engagement in Research (CIRCLE)
By teaming with the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) on a Consumer Engagement in Research Community of Practice, we support consumer engagement managers and other professionals at MACH hospitals and research institutes.
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CALD Special Interest Group
The Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Engagement Special Interest Group (SIG) provides support to clinical researchers by fostering collaboration and exchange of knowledge through webinars, discussions, and peer-to-peer learning to address current pressing challenges and build capability in the workforce.
External Partners
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Australian Health Research Alliance (AHRA)
We work closely in collaboration with Research Translation Centres across the Australian Health Research Alliance (AHRA) to increase Consumer and Community Involvement (CCI) capacity and inclusion across our partners.
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Consumers Health Forum of Australia
MACH is a proud member of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia.
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Resources and useful links
MACH encourages consumer and community involvement in research and recognises the importance of the consumer voice. As compensation for time and expertise, and any expenses incurred, MACH has remuneration and reimbursement guidelines, which are endorsed by the MACH Board Consumer Advisory Panel.
In addition to their time, consumers are eligible for reimbursement of certain out of pocket expenses. Such expenses may include parking expenses, travel and accommodation (if approved by COO of MACH).
- Increasing Consumer and Community Involvement in Medical Research: A Short Guide for Medical Research Institutes
- National Clinical Trials Governance Framework CALD best practice inclusion list
- Engaging diverse communities in clinical research
- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Ethics Resources (CALDER)
- Australian Clinical Trials Alliance: Consumer Involvement and Engagement Toolkit
- Australian Health Research Alliance: Consumer and Community Involvement
- Cancer Australia: Consumer Involvement Toolkit
- Consumers Health Forum of Australia
- Monash Partners: Consumer and Community Involvement
- National Health and Medical Research Council: Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research (2016)
- National Health and Medical Research Council: Toolkit for Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research (2020)
- Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance: Consumer Engagement and Toolkit Resources
- Western Australian Health Translation Network: Involving Consumers in Health and Medical Research: A practical handbook for organisations, researchers, consumers and funders
Contacts to support researchers looking to engage consumers are listed below. Please refer to your relevant organisation or contact your local research office for further information:
- Austin Health: [email protected]
- Mercy Health: [email protected]
- Northern Health: [email protected]
- St Vincent’s Hospital: [email protected]
- The Royal Melbourne Hospital: [email protected]
- The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital: [email protected]
- The Royal Women’s Hospital: [email protected]
- Western Health: [email protected]
MACH webinars
Presenters: Professor Cathy Vaughan (MISCH Hub, Uni Melbourne)
Increasingly funders require researchers and service providers to ‘co-design’ health interventions with patients or communities. And lots of people claim they are doing it. But what is ‘it’, exactly? Why might it be a useful approach to health research? Who should be involved, and how? This interactive seminar will cover these key questions and discuss common challenges and opportunities for co-design in health research.
Presenter: Ms Erin Davis (MISCH Hub; Uni Melbourne)
This session builds on the previous webinar by Professor Cathy Vaughan (see above) with a focus on the Experience-based Co-design (EBCD) approach. In this interactive webinar, you will learn more about the EBCD stages, methods, resources, and case studies. You will also discover practical tips for project planning, budgeting, and ethics submissions in alignment with co-design principles and mindsets.
“When consumers are included as a valued part of the team, they provide a different way of looking at the research which benefits the researcher, the research organisation and, ultimately, the health consumer.”
George Kiossoglou: Consumer Representative, WEHI and Melbourne Academic Centre for Health
