This paper discusses five case studies illustrating the practice of consumer engagement.
It is the fourth in a series of working papers produced as part of a research project examining consumer engagement in Australian health policy.
The case studies are intended to provide insight into the practice of different approaches to consumer engagement and to illustrate some of the experiences and concerns of both consumers and engagement practitioners.
The five case studies included in this paper are:
· Engaging with consumer representatives – a review of the consumer representatives programs managed by Health Issues Centre and Choice
· Engaging with consumers though the gathering of information – an exploration of the process used by the Department of Human Services in Victoria to inform their work in improving the experiences of consumers in hospital emergency departments
· Jurisdictions engaging with consumers at the local level – a discussion of the Health Community Councils established by Queensland Health in 2007
· Engaging with consumers to build relationships – an overview of the work undertaken by Medicines Australia to develop relationships with health consumers’ organisations
· Engaging with consumers using deliberative techniques – a review of the deliberative approaches to consumer engagement used in Western Australia by the Department for Planning and Infrastructure between 2001 and 2005.
