Update

Priority Setting Process for Eating Disorder Research and Translation Strategy

21 Aug, 2020

The final stage of developing Australia’s first National Eating Disorder Research & Translation Strategy has kicked off with an independent priority setting process.

The process, which has been approved by the Strategy Advisory Committee, includes a broad survey and a multi-stakeholder workshop to identify the Top 10 Research & Translation Priorities for Australia, according to InsideOut National Projects Manager Peta Marks.

“The survey will be informed by a long list of over 1,200 questions identified from our extensive consultations with over 450 stakeholders.”

“The Interim Priority Setting survey will be sent to stakeholders in September - it should only take a few minutes to complete – and there will also be an opportunity to express interest in participating in the Top 10 October workshop.”

“I’m pleased to say this part of the Strategy project is being conducted with independent oversight by a consultant from the UK based, James Lind Alliance (JLA). JLA is a gold standard approach to setting research priorities,” she said.

JLA is a non-profit making initiative, which has established a research priority setting methodology that brings people with a lived experience, families/carers, clinicians and, in this instance, researchers together in Priority Setting Partnerships (PSPs) to identify and agree upon the Top 10 unanswered questions or evidence uncertainties.

“The process works towards achieving consensus around the current Top 10 research and translation priorities for Australia – with equal voice from consumers, carers/families, clinicians and researchers. It's about making sure that our research priorities reflect what issues matter most and make a difference to people’s lives.”

InsideOut’s staged consultation process began in May 2019 and has included workshops, surveys, webinars and one-on-one meetings.

Ms Marks says this high level of input “has been critical to ensuring the Strategy reflects the experience and perspectives of consumers and carers (experts by lived experience), service providers, clinicians and researchers, as well as key organisations.”

The Federal Government funded Strategy will recommend strategic priorities and associated actions for supporting eating disorder research - and the translation of research into real world prevention, early intervention and treatment across community and practice settings nationally.

The final document is due by December 2020.

For more information please contact the IOI National Projects Manager Peta Marks peta.marks@sydney.edu.au