Consumer Engagement
Health consumers referred here are patients and potential patients, carers, organisations representing consumers’ interests, members of the public who are targets of health promotion programs and groups asking for research because they believe that they have been exposed to potentially harmful circumstances, products or services.1
To ensure CONCERT delivers best practice and good translational research outcomes to the cancer patients, their carers and families, we engage consumers in our translational cancer research. The benefits of the consumer involvement in research are listed below as stated by Cancer Australia:
To consumers:
- a health service that is more responsive to consumer needs and issues;
- improved quality and safety in a service that hears the voice of the consumer;
- empowerment leading to improved health outcomes for involved individuals;
- involvement and participation leading to peer support and connection among consumers;
- skills, knowledge and satisfaction for consumers from contributing to change.
To researchers:
- ensures that issues important to consumers are identified and prioritised;
- supports the dissemination of research results;
- helps to translate research findings into clinical practice and implemented within health service delivery;
- protects against money and resources being wasted on research that has little or no benefit or impact for consumers;
- and more
References:
- NHMRC, (2004) A Model Framework for Consumer and Community Participation in Research. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, viewed 30th June 2015. <https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/r33.pdf>
Ingham Cancer Consumer Panel
The Ingham Cancer Consumer Panel consists of local people who have been affected by cancer either as patients or carers.
The initiative is focused on strengthening the consumer involvement in the Institute’s cancer research projects and involves a core group of cancer patients and carers discussing and giving valuable feedback on the Institute’s cancer research projects, enabling researchers to better align their programs with the health concerns of cancer patients.
The panel meets twice a year with researchers (May and November). At the meetings, the researchers present research projects and ideas to the consumers panel and invite their feedback. Where appropriate the panel members are allocated to a relevant research project and provide their ongoing support and feedback on specific research projects.
Research Projects
| Project Title |
Principal Investigator (Project Contact Person) |
Areas of experience relevant to the project |
| UTE: A novel strategy to utilise MRI for accurate and efficient radiation treatment planning and guidance |
Dr Gary Liney
|
Radiotherapy |
| Reducing the Greatest Uncertainty in Radiotherapy |
A/Prof Lois Holloway Lois.Holloway@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
|
Radiotherapy |
| Illness Self-Management and Coping Skills Training for Culturally Diverse Patients with Cancer and their Caregivers |
Dr Janelle Levesque
|
Cancer patients and carers |
| Co-regulation of tumour suppressor pathways by ATM and SMG1. |
Dr Tara Roberts
|
All cancers |
| Patient perspectives on shared care after colorectal cancer surgery |
Dr Lawrence Tan
|
Colorectal cancer |
| Dosimaging: Image Guided Radiation Dosimetry |
Dr Peter Metcalfe
|
Radiotherapy |
| Pancreatic Cancer : Novel approaches to therapy |
Prof Minoti Apte
|
Pancreatic cancer |
| Wellness centre |
Prof Geoff Delaney Geoff.Delaney@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
|
All cancers |
| Radiotherapy cardiac toxicity study |
Dr Eng-Siew Koh Eng-Siew.Koh@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
|
Breast, lymphoma radiotherapy patients |
| Radiotherapy Data mining |
Prof David Thwaites
|
Radiotherapy, initially lung and head and neck cancers |
| Understanding the changes from tumour dormancy to metastasis: Development of prognostic tests and identification of potential therapeutic targets to prevent metastasis |
A/Prof Therese Becker
|
Brest cancer |
| Angiogenesis and aggressive adenocarcinoma of the prostate |
A/Prof Murray Killingsworth murray.killingsworth@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
|
Adenocarcinoma of the prostate, cell biology, correlative light and electron microscopy, image analysis |
|
Analysing the effect of strong magnetic fields on biological dosing for radiotherapy |
Dr Tara Roberts Tara.Roberts@westernsydney.edu.au A/Prof Lois Holloway Lois.Holloway@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
|
Radiotherapy |
|
The role of the Unfolded Protein Response and Chaperone Mediated Autophagy in the biology and drug resistance of Multple Myeloma |
Dr Silvia Ling
|
Haematology |
|
Genetic mutations in blood diseases and blood cancers |
Dr Silvia Ling
|
Haematology |
|
The role of PET/CT in the prediction of outcome in lymphoma |
Dr Silvia Ling
|
Haematology |
|
The role of primary health care in the outcome blood cancers |
Dr Silvia Ling
|
Haematology |
|
Innovative, non-invasive test assays for detection of oncoming resistance associated AR (Androgen Receptor) changes |
A/Prof Therese Becker
|
Prostate cancer |
|
Identifying mechanisms of drug resistance in lung cancer |
Dr Tara Roberts |
Lung cancer |
Research Meetings
May 2014
Dec 2014
May 2015
Upcoming meetings
CONTACT US:
If you are a cancer patient or carer and would like to be involved, please contact A/Prof Holloway at lois.holloway@sswahs.nsw.gov.au