CCRE Spine Community Reference Group
The CCRE Spine recognises the value of input from consumers in health and medical research. The inclusion of consumer perspectives is important because:
- It ensures access to a wide range of views and this improves the quality and acceptability of results; and
- Consumers should have input into decisions which have an impact on them (Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council, 2005).
The CCRE Spine has established a Community Reference Group to enable consumers and researchers to work in partnership to shape decisions about research priorities, policies and practices. Some of the functions of the Community Reference Group will be to:
- Provide advice on research directions from a consumer viewpoint;
- Review research proposals from a consumer perspective in order to provide guidance as to whether these serve the needs of the consumer;
- Advise on and facilitate activities that help communicate research finding to consumers (e.g. public lecture sessions);
- Facilitate links with appropriate consumer/user networks;
- Provide advice and feedback about consumer content on our website;
- Provide guidance on public relations activities for the CCRE Spine; and
- Provide advice about compiling a database of community volunteers who wish to participate in research projects.
Publications
- Australian Government (2005). Principles for the Appointment of Consumer Representatives – Final Paper. Available at http://www.treasury.gov.au/
- Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council (2005). A Model Framework for Consumer and Community Participation in Health and Medical Research, December 2004. Available at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au
Organisations
- Health Issues Centre – Participate in Health. This is a national resource centre for consumer participation in health. Visit http://www.participateinhealth.org.au
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Consumers Health Forum. The Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia Inc (CHF) is the national voice for health consumers. Visit their website:
http://www.chf.org.au