Patient and public involvement and engagement (PPI) is an important part of research and all researchers are actively encouraged to include it in their research.
Demonstrating patient and public involvement and engagement and the continued involvement of patients and members of the public is a key part of developing a successful grant application and many funding bodies now require evidence of PPI in research funding and ethics applications.
Why you should involve patients and the public in your research
Involving patients helps make sure your research is:
- high quality and has potential benefits for patients – patients with experience of living with a condition and receiving care will provide researchers with insights into how relevant and well-designed projects are from a patient perspective
- informed by broader democratic principles of citizenship, accountability and transparency
- meeting funder’s requirements - most funding bodies require applications to provide information on how patients are being involved in the development, planning and implementation of research projects
- meeting ethical requirements - research ethics committees look for evidence that researchers have involved patients when developing proposals and patient information sheets.
Guidance documents
These documents have been produced to help you carry out effective PPI:
- General guidance on involving patients and the public in your research
- Tips on writing a patient information sheet
- Tips on writing a lay summary (courtesy of NIHR Research Design Service London)
- Role description template for lay representatives
- Public engagement in research: Event marketing plan
PPI lead
You should contact the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals' public involvement lead as early as possible to discuss plans for patient involvement in your research.