The practical issues associated with consumer and community involvement vary widely across different settings and in relation to different consumer and community groups. The area is complicated by different meanings assigned by different people to words like community, participation and involvement. There are no simple formulae or models. Personal and community health is a responsibility not only of government departments of health and other providers of health care but also of individuals and communities. Individuals and communities have the right to be consulted and to participate in decisions which will affect their health.
Participation is likely to lead to better health.
Support for public participation can have important benefits from the perspective of health service management as well as from the perspective of consumers and community groups. Access to a variety of resources such as information about health issues, financial skills and knowledge, and information about decision-making processes and structures is necessary to fully support public participation. The value of the information that community representatives themselves can bring to the decision-making process, in particular the experiences and concerns of people from different backgrounds, also needs to be more widely appreciated. Community involvement requires more than the appointment of individuals nominated as community representatives to management or policy bodies. They also need organisational infrastructure and support to ensure that they are in touch with the constituencies they represent, are able to consult regularly and are accountable.