Consumer and community engagement in health research is important to improve healthcare outcomes for our patients. We are proud to offer the opportunity for community members to partner with our researchers to co-design health research and help shape the future of health care on the Gold Coast.
Health research is a series of steps to collect and analyse information to better understand a health topic or medical condition. Health research can help advance treatments, management plans or improve the way the health services are delivered.
Health consumers have unique experiences and understandings of a medical issue or of a health service. Consumer partners help researchers do research by sharing this important knowledge. This improves the research project and makes sure that the research is helpful and relevant to consumers and communities.
There are lots of ways consumer partners can help improve research at Gold Coast Health. These include:
You do not need research experience to be a consumer partner. You just need to be open to sharing your ideas and opinions and be able to work in a team. You can bring a support person to help you if you would like.
There are lots of benefits to being a consumer partner such as:
- Developing new interests.
- Meeting new people in the health service.
- Being informed about research you care about which you can share with your community.
- Contributing to knowledge and improving the health service.
- Learning new skills.
We recommend using our contact support centre to get in touch if you would like to become a consumer research partner or have any queries. Once you have made an enquiry, a staff member from the Office for Research Governance and Development will contact you to speak to you about research topic you are interested in getting involved in, and how we can best support you to do so.
Gold Coast Health also has a Consumer Advisory Group and an Always Care Consumer Network that researchers and consumers may wish to engage with.
A donation to Gold Coast Hospital Foundation is one of the most meaningful ways to make a bigger impact in your community. Your generosity can help fund health research, provide enhanced treatment options and support patient care across our health facilities, including Gold Coast University Hospital, Robina Hospital, and community-based health centres such as family and child health, post-operative care, rehabilitation and mental health. Find out how you can donate now.
