Improving rural health requires a clear and current understanding of the lived experiences of rural people.
It’s also a team effort. The Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research invites you and your organisation to work with Australia’s first Rural Health Consumer Panel in 2024.
There are a few ways to get involved.
Join our Community Health Platform
If you have a local health issue to explore with your community or need community ideas to inform your 2024 priorities, contact the panel team to help you lead best practice consultation.
“Last year, we ran a session in Broadford with one of our partners, Nexus Primary Health, to better understand community concerns and aspirations,” said lead researcher Professor Evelien Spelten.
“It unearthed really valuable insights, for example, on how we could improve access by looking at better patient transport options as well as homecare services.”
Professor Spelten said: “The benefits of partnering with us are mutual. You get direct, local feedback and ideas and we get data contributing to a broader view on rural health.”
Join our Consumer Platform for Research
If you’re a health researcher or involved in industry research, work with the panel to access data and insights from our panel membership.
The panel currently includes almost 200 members from across rural Australia who share their experiences and ideas via surveys and workshops.
Co-researcher Dr Fiona Dangerfield said the experiences of panel members are informing world leading research into long Covid, the potential use of technology and AI in rural health, and the design of a telehealth hub in Mildura.
“We know that consumer involvement is critical to research impact.”
“I encourage researchers to work with us to draw on the depth and diversity of our panel’s experiences,” Dr Dangerfield said.
Join the panel as a member
If you live in rural or regional Australia, demonstrate your commitment to rural health by joining the panel yourself and inviting your colleagues, friends and family to join.
“This is a great opportunity to make rural health work better for your community and others across rural and regional Australia,” Professor Spelten said.
The Rural Health Consumer Panel receives support and direction from an external advisory board involving consumers as well as representatives from the National Rural Health Alliance, Murray Primary Health Network, Sunraysia Community Health Service, Nexus Primary Health and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia.
To join or work with the panel in 2024, or to discuss ways to collaborate in 2024, contact Professor Spelten, Dr Dangerfield and their team at ruralpanel@latrobe.edu.au or visit our website.
