Co-design of an Australian health service framework and implementation plan for involving consumers in research

Objectives:
The value of engaging health service users and their families (consumers) in research is increasingly being recognised in planning and evaluating health services to meet diverse needs. This project aimed to co-design a strategic consumer involvement framework and implementation plan for a public Australian hospital and health service.

Methods:
A co-design approach was used to adopt a framework and develop an implementation plan across five stages: (1) an initial consultation with key stakeholders, (2) a survey of health service staff about involving consumers in research at the health service, (3) three group sessions using Nominal Group Technique with health service consumers and staff that explored barriers and solutions to involving consumers, (4) data synthesis, and (5) a workshop of key stakeholders to develop and refine the implemen- tation plan. Three consumer partners contributed to protocol development, research design, data analysis, and manuscript writing.

Results:
Survey and group session data highlighted a need for governance, infrastructure, capacity building, and leadership and culture within the organisa- tion to support the involvement of consumers in research at the health service. These aligned with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Framework domains. Implementation strategies were adjusted on the basis of insights from the local context to facilitate adoption within the health service.

Conclusions:
By better supporting consumers and researchers to work together in health service research, organisations can enhance the relevance, quality, and impact of their research efforts. This project provides a valuable blueprint for developing a local, contextualised approach to promoting effective consumer–researcher rela- tionships in Australian public health services.