Promoting consumer participation through the implementation of a consumer academic position.

Consumer participation in mental health care is increasingly becoming an expectation. A review of the literature suggests that the negative attitudes of mental health professionals towards people diagnosed with mental illness constitutes a significant barrier to the realization of this goal. The education of health professionals has been identified as a major strategy for reducing the negatively of such attitudes, and to promoting a more participatory relationship between consumer and provider. This paper describes the process of the development and implementation of an academic role for a consumer of mental health services in teaching psychiatric nursing students. A personal case study by the consumer academic is provided to illustrate the process of this collaborative venture. This paper contributes to the development of framework to guide the implementation of similar positions.