Rural Health Consumer Panel
The Rural Health Consumer Panel is the first and only Australian consumer health panel with a dedicated focus on the lived experiences of rural health consumers. The panel was launched by the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research in May 2022.
The Rural Health Consumer Panel assists researchers in gaining a deeper understanding of the health issues affecting rural and regional Australians. Panel members work with researchers to develop solutions to improve health and wellbeing.
The lived experience and wisdom of rural people is front and centre of research initiatives addressing rural health inequity, guiding where and how research can make a difference.
BECOME A RURAL HEALTH CONSUMER PANEL MEMBER
You can join the Rural Health Consumer Panel if you:
- Live in rural, regional or remote Australia.
- Are aged 18 years or over.
- Have received health care, or care for someone who receives health care.
- This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a better understanding of the unique health and wellbeing challenges of people living in rural areas.
- Participating in the panel will ensure rural people are proactively involved in rural health research of relevance to you and your local community.
- Consumer-driven approaches to healthcare can help spark new ideas and improve how services are designed and delivered, leading to better health and wellbeing for people in rural communities.
Panel members will:
- Complete 1-2 online surveys each year to share your experiences of rural health.
- Have opportunities to get involved in a range of activities, such as co-designing research projects, joining webinars and discussions, and taking part in health and wellbeing activities.
- To join the panel, you can register here
- For questions or queries, email ruralpanel@latrobe.edu.au
RESEARCHERS
PANEL DEVELOPMENT, MEMBERS AND PARTNERS
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PANEL
The Rural Health Consumer Panel has been modelled on an exemplar consumer panel that has been effective for over 30 years developed by the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (Nivel). We collaborate closely with researchers from Nivel in the development of the Rural Health Consumer Panel.
The governance structure for the Rural Health Consumer Panel includes the Research Team, Advisory Committee and 4 key work streams.
The Rural Health Consumer Panel Advisory Committee meets quarterly to:
- Advise on the strategic direction and activities of the Rural Health Consumer Panel.
- Promote consumer involvement and engagement and partnerships in the Rural Health Consumer Panel.
- Advise how the Rural Health Consumer Panel is meeting its aim to be diverse, equitable and inclusive.
- Make recommendations on the long-term sustainability of the Rural Health Consumer Panel.
Membership of the Advisory Committee includes Rural health consumers, Sunraysia Community Health Services, Nexus Primary Health, Murray Primary Health Network, Consumers Health Forum of Australia, National Rural Health Alliance, Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, La Trobe University.
WHO ARE THE CURRENT PANEL MEMBERS?
As of March 2026, we have 290 panel members ranging in age from 18 to 83 years from across Australia. The panel has a higher proportion of females, people born in Australia and currently living in Victoria.
PARTNER WITH US
A critical ingredient to the long-term impact of the panel is the collaborative partnerships we have and wish to foster. We are interested to work together to codesign research initiatives that facilitate meaningful, practical and relevant collaborations between consumers, rural health services, academic institutions and industry partners.
Currently we offer collaborators the opportunity to engage in our consumer platform activities where rural health consumers explore topics of relevance with local health service providers and researchers to inform service delivery and future consumer-led research.
The Rural Health Consumer Panel brings the lived experiences of rural people into every stage of research. Members help shape ideas, design studies, and work as co-investigators on projects to make research more relevant.
CONNECT WITH US
If you would like to know more, or join us as a partner, or help us recruit panel members, we would love to hear from you.