Without evidence, clinicians may inadvertently be providing treatment that is not necessarily best for some consumers. If consumers, carers, and staff have different views about what type of services are best and which treatments are most effective, it is in all our interests to know more about these differences and find common ground. This article provides an overview of factors that require consideration and action for collaborative research to be successful. Actively involving consumers and carers in mental health research may improve the quality of research and has the potential to enhance clinical outcomes. However, a range of challenges must be overcome, which include insufficient training, extra time requirements, stress and non-representativeness, and the impact on research projects, consumers, and researchers. These factors apply equally to carers and, arguably, staff. With sufficient motivation, commitment, and funds for the requisite time, all of these disadvantages could be overcome or at least minimized.

This paper reports on a series of interviews with consumers of mental health services, conducted as part of the Consumer Evaluation of Mental Health Services project (CEO-MHS). With one of our overarching aims being to develop a consumer oriented and consumer directed method of evaluating mental health services, we considered seeking consumers' views of mental health services, using qualitative interviews, to be essential. Consumer Researchers from the team conducted 33 interviews in NSW, Australia. Eleven themes emerged from analysis of the interview data and these themes are described in detail.

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Increasingly, consumers and carers are involving themselves in many aspects and levels of mental health services. However, one area in which active involvement has been less prominent is research. This paper describes an educational initiative that sought to increase consumers' and carers' understanding of the way research is conducted and its role in evidence-based practice. Information regarding participants' attitudes towards research, knowledge about research practice and participation was also examined. The findings provide evidence that workshop attendance increases knowledge and encourages participation in future research projects, particularly when participants have confidence in the researcher.

A four step Framework has been developed for implementation across adult public mental health services in NSW. The Framework focuses not only on collecting consumers' views of mental health services but on ensuring that procedures to report on and make changes based on this information are in place.