New Consumer Involvement Guide Helps Both Researchers and Grant Reviewers

The guide, Describing and Assessing Consumer Involvement in Health Research in Funding Applications, has been developed by SHP’s Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP), which comprises experienced health consumers from across the partnership. It has also been tested by SHP researchers as part of the development process.

Research Director, Associate Professor Angela Todd, says the guide has been developed to meet an emerging need of the health and medical research sector.

“Starting a few years ago, funding bodies began to require researchers applying for a grant to demonstrate how they will involve consumers and/or community members in their projects,” she said.

“A tick-a-box approach to consumer involvement was never enough, and it certainly isn’t now. Reviewers of grant applications are now looking for indications that the project will involve a true partnership between consumers and researchers, based on respect, equality, inclusion and evidence.”

The guide has been designed for use in applying for and assessing Sydney Health Partners funding opportunities such as implementation science pilot grants, but it may also be useful to researchers seeking grants from state and national funding bodies.

The guide includes some questions researchers should address in their applications and some preparatory operational considerations, such as how to find consumers interested in research, onboard them to the project, and maintain continuity of consumer involvement over the full life of the research.

“We have found that many researchers genuinely want to partner with consumers but are unsure where to start – where to find them, how to engage with them and in what ways to involve them in the project,” said Associate Professor Todd.

“This is still relatively new territory for everyone but by engaging with our consumer panel members and our research community in the development of the guide, we think we’ve come up with a document that helps to fill some important knowledge gaps.”