Consumer participation and social accountability

Consumer participation in the planning and management of health care programs is prescribed as a method for increasing provider responsiveness to the goals and needs of users of services. However, issues related to the nature of mandates to implement consumer participation has not had the impact on policy development proposed for it. While structural changes can be identified which might enhance the consumer role in decision making, it will also be necessary for the consumer sector to develop a strategy which will prompt major rather than incremental movement.