The role of consumer representatives within the Australian healthcare system has evolved significantly over past decades, with quality partnerships benefiting the community and those involved in advancing cancer research, education and clinical care. So, what exactly is a consumer in the cancer context?
According to Cancer Australia, ‘Consumer’ is used to refer to a person affected by cancer as a patient, survivor, carer or family member; or a consumer organisation representing the views of consumers.
At the VCCC Alliance, we strive to amplify the consumer voice in everything we do, because no-one knows cancer like someone who’s lived it.
Involving and engaging consumers in health research helps make research more relevant to community needs, enhances transparency and accountability, adds perspective and improves acceptance of research findings in the community.
Effective consumer engagement not only ensures our organisation’s work is grounded in a patient-centric philosophy, but tangibly assists researchers, clinicians and educators to better understand and tap into the lived experience of cancer for the benefit of all.
The Consumer Engagement Toolkit was developed by the VCCC Alliance Cancer Consumer Advisory Committee (CCAC) who identified a need for a consumer engagement strategy, model and guiding documents to support effective engagement.
The Toolkit provides real-life examples of consumer engagement and associated resources for all to use. Templates can be downloaded, branded and customised for your own purpose.
We recommend retaining the information regarding the origin of the document when you download and re-use any of our examples. Many of our organisations are specifically involved in cancer research, education and clinical care, nonetheless, much of the content in these pages can be adapted more broadly.
Most importantly, consumer engagement is a working relationship. Like any professional association, it is important that everyone understands the other person’s perspective. We encourage you to explore the content and find what is relevant for you.
To learn more about how we partner with consumers at the VCCC Alliance, explore our Consumer Engagement Hub, or get in touch with our Consumer Engagement Manager, Dr Joanne Britto.
