We are keen to include patients and other members of the public in the development, design and conduct of our research activity. We call this ‘patient and public involvement (PPI)’.
Why we involve the public
Members of the public can:
- bring knowledge and experience of a particular condition or service relevant to the research topic
- bring views based on their experience of being a participant in research
- bring a lay perspective about studies and their associated documents
- help to improve the design and focus of the research
- advise on ethical issues
We believe that this input leads to better research, clearer outcomes, and faster uptake of new evidence.
Our PPI group: the Jaffa Panel
We have a PPI group that meets weekly to give researchers the opportunity for an early lay review of their research ideas. Often called The Jaffa Panel, it currently has 10 active members, with ages ranging from 16 to 83. The group members review written materials to make sure they are easy for people to understand, and they also help to ensure that the research questions and topics are relevant to patients.
How the Jaffa Panel helps researchers
Researchers say that they find the panel’s input really helpful. The following video features five researchers who highlight the changes they made to their research having received Jaffa Panel advice.
Find out more about the Jaffa Panel
You can find out more about the Jaffa Panel members’ experiences in their blog on the Involve website.
Contact the panel
Further information about PPI
INVOLVE is the national advisory group that supports public involvement in research.
People in Research has a database of opportunities for members of the public to get involved in research. You can scroll through all the opportunities or sort your results by topic, type of involvement or location.
Healthtalk has produced some insightful video clips where people talk about their reasons for getting involved, what activities and tasks are required, and the value of patient and public involvement in research.
