The NJRO encourages researchers to improve the extent and quality of public involvement in their research
What is PPIE?
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) can occur at any point in the research process, from identifying a research question through to influencing policy makers when disseminating the results. The National Institute of Health and Care Research definitions for PPIE are:
- Involvement – research being carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them. It is an active partnership between patients, carers and members of the public with researchers that influences and shapes research.
- Engagement – where information and knowledge about research is provided and disseminated to public and patient audiences (sharing information).
- Participation – taking part in a research study, for example people being recruited to take part in a clinical trial or another kind of research study, joining in a focus group or completing a questionnaire (where people take part in a study as subjects)
The importance of PPIE
Public contributors and patients bring their own perspective from their experience of living with or caring for someone with a healthcare condition. Learning from and incorporating these experiences brings better quality research which prioritises the care of patients in its design, not just the ‘causes’ or ‘cures’.
Health inequalities have a disproportionate impact on different groups and populations, due to their protected characteristics or for socially excluded groups. We need to address this with health interventions which are evidence based to improve clinical care and outcomes. To do health research well, we need to put public and patient involvement at the heart of it which will ensure all our communities benefit from it.
Including PPIE is a requirement for research funded by the NIHR and many other funding bodies. A clear description of how PPIE partners will be meaningfully involved needs to be demonstrated in funding applications.
Resources and further information on how to include PPIE in a research project
Join Creating Connections This is a network for anyone with an interest in public involvement & community engagement in health and social care research to meet, share good practice, share resources and identify gaps throughout the Northeast and North Cumbria.
Creating Connections resources include:
- Introductory training– short videos/webinars
- PPIE Planner for researchers to plan their PPIE activities. The questions asked in this planner are the questions a PPIE professional would pose to a researcher to help them develop the best possible PPIE plans.
- Community engagement toolkit– to support research and diverse communities who are developing health and research projects and grant applications together
- PPIE and research methods – short guides on how to include PPIE with different research methods
- Remuneration – NIHR guides on how to include payment to the public and other ways of giving back
The Public Partnership Training Programme is a joint initiative between Newcastle Health Research Partnership (NHRP) and Creating Connections. The training is free and open to staff and public contributors involved in health and care research. It offers participants the opportunity to learn how to do PPIE and participation activities effectively within research, and there is no requirement to have any previous experience within PPIE
Are you a member of the public or patient who is interested in getting involved in research at Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust? See here: Get involved in research – Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust