Improving the Accessibility of Consumer Orientation: Co-Designing Infection Control Training for Consumers Partnering With Health Services.

backgroundConsumer and community involvement (CCI) can enhance research and healthcare outcomes. However, orientation processes, including mandatory training, can pose barriers when not designed for consumers, particularly those with diverse communication, language, and literacy needs.

objectivesTo (1) explore consumer and staff experiences of hospital-based orientation, including existing infection control training materials; and (2) co-design an accessible infection control mandatory training resource for consumers who partner with the hospital.

designQualitative study using semi-structured interviews (consumers and staff) and a series of three co-design workshops (consumers, staff, researchers). SETTING AND

participantsThe study was conducted at a metropolitan rehabilitation hospital in Australia in 2025. Participants included consumers, staff and researchers with knowledge in consumer partnering, infection control and orientation. VARIABLES STUDIED: Experiences of consumer orientation, including infection-control training and priorities for the design, content, accessibility and acceptability of a co-designed infection-control training for consumers. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Qualitative themes relating to barriers and enablers in consumer orientation and characteristics of the co-designed training resource.

resultsNine participants completed an interview, and 14 contributed to co-design workshops. Consumers described orientation as inflexible, insufficiently tailored and sometimes inaccessible, particularly for people with diverse needs. They valued orientation as an opportunity to build relationships, ask questions and understand their role. Staff highlighted that processes lacked the flexibility needed for person-centred partnering and described challenges in tailoring information for consumer audiences. Interview findings informed co-design workshops in which consumers, staff and researchers developed and refined an infection control training resource for consumers in a hospital setting. Key design features included plain language, visual supports, concise content, opportunities for questions and accessible formatting. DISCUSSION: Consumer orientation is an important but underexamined stage of healthcare partnering. Accessible, flexible and consumer-centred processes may support inclusive and meaningful involvement. Contributions from staff and consumers were valuable in ensuring that the end product was fit for purpose from organisational and end-user perspectives.

conclusionOrientation and mandatory training may create barriers when not tailored to consumers' needs. Co-designing accessible training resources offers a practical approach to improving consumer orientation and understanding of infection control principles, supporting more inclusive partnerships with health services. LIVED EXPERIENCE OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study was initiated in response to feedback from a consumer network at a metropolitan hospital in Queensland, Australia. Consumers contributed as interview participants and co-designers in developing the training resource.