Decisions about health - at both individual and the societal level - should be made in an informed way with input from all relevant stakeholders.  This process needs to involve consumers.  Consumers have the right to be involved in decision about their own health and in decisions about how health funding will be allocated.  Consumers should be involved in share decision-making and consulted during information-gathering.  Important questions for this research stream include:

 Do current models work or have they lasted beyond their 'best by' date?
 Can they truly act as impetus for patient-centred care or is there a need to extend  
beyond communication and information?
 What would a consumer-centred health system look like?
 In a system which is largely government funded what does consumer-driven mean?

This research stream will build on work jointly underway with researchers in Canada with McMaster's University and also with UCLA (USA) and the European Observatory to examine what constitutes effective health consumer participation, for incorporation into health policy-making.  A strong research base in this area already exists with the Cochrane Review Group on Consumer Information and Communication being based at La Trobe University.