Table 2 Key messages, barriers and benefits of involvement reported by survey respondents

What were the key messages you took away from the workshop about consumer and community participation?

Value: Perspectives and priorities of consumers and community members provide value

25

Commitment: Consumers and community members should be involved from the start and at all stages of the research, even if it is challenging

12

Variation: Participation may occur at various stages of the research cycle; forms and levels of participation can vary

12

Social justice: Involving consumers and community members is the right thing to do

10

Quality: Specific benefits to researchers; improvements in the quality of research

10

Relevance: Participation is relevant to consumers, community members and researchers

8

Barriers: Acknowledgement that barriers exist

7

Resources: Resources are available to implement participation

6

Not useful

1

Have you experienced any barriers to involving consumer and community participation in your research?

No barriers experienced

24

Resistance: Lack of support for participation from colleagues/organisation

15

Recruitment and retention: Identifying and recruiting consumers; maintaining communication and participation

12

Time: constraints on researchers’ time

10

Resources Financial and other resource constraints

9

Personal: self-imposed barriers

2

Not applicable

7

Yes, but not specified

5

What are the main benefits of implementing consumer and community participation in your research area?

Value: Consumer and community perspectives improve research topics and processes

33

Relevance: collaboration is relevant to consumers and community members

23

Translation: impact of results on policy and practice

17

Perspective: Understanding consumers better and listening to community ‘voice’

12

Measurable benefits: Improved health outcomes

6

No benefit/yet to see benefit

6