These pages are designed to signpost you to information that will help you:
Information about one-off PPIE events and training sessions will be disseminated through the monthly WIPH Newsletter and the bi-monthly WIPH Research Newsletter.
If there are any updates or inaccuracies that would help improve these pages, please email: involve-wiph@qmul.ac.uk
In their Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Resource Pack the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) provide the following definitions of Involvement, Engagement and Participation in Research:
Below are some resources from different funders about PPIE. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to PPIE. Your PPIE activity will depend on who you are engaging with, and the type of research being done. Given this, PPIE is something you need to think about from the early stages of project development.
Remember that different funders use slightly different terms to describe and conceptualise PPIE. When preparing a bid please make sure you understand how funders understand PPIE and expect it to be conducted.
The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) also provide an excellent range of resources that can help you to develop your PPIE practice.
You study context and approach (country, region, discipline etc.) will also determine the nature of your PPIE.
As PPIE can take many forms, it is helpful to get inputs on your PPIE plans when you are developing bids or long-term PPIE support for your Centre and Unit research activities (e.g. advisory boards who work across multiple projects and advise on local PPIE strategy).
At QMUL and the WIPH pre-award PPIE advice can be accessed via:
Many Units and Centers at the WIPH also have PPIE coordinators, other staff and activities that can support you. If you still have questions after attending the advice surgeries and drop-in sessions please approach them for additional help.
Below are links to external PPIE resources, including face-to-face advice opportunities, online guides and in-person training sessions.
The Six UK Standards for Public Involvement: A good place to start when planning how to involve members of the public in research is the Six UK standards for Public Involvement. These provide a description of what good public involvement looks like. They encourage approaches and behaviours that constitute the hallmarks of good public involvement, such as flexibility, sharing and learning, and mutual respect.
When thinking about who you should involve in helping design your research, it is important to think about including people who represent the population the research is ultimately for. It is now widely acknowledged that the diversity of PPI contributors is poor. Ensuring a diverse – and representative – group of PPI contributors is a key way to help tackle this. If you would like to discuss the PPI requirements for your research in more detail, you can consult the Wolfson PPI Working Group through the monthly WIPH PPIE drop in sessions.
NIHR Guidance for Researchers on PPI: This link provides notes on what PPI is, why it is important, why members of the public get involved, how to do it, and how to invite people to be involved.
NIHR: PPI Resources for Applicants to NIHR Research Programmes: Different awarding bodies will have different PPI requirements. The following link will take you to some useful resources put together by NIHR.
QMUL JMRO: Involving Patients in Research: The Joint Management Research Office (JRMO) pages provide information on sources of funding for PPIE inputs at the bid development stage, as well as an extensive list of PPIE resources for researchers.
NIHR: Inclusive PPI: What are some of the things to think about to ensure better inclusivity in public involvement in health and social care research? How do we develop inclusive research communities?
Research Support Service (RSS) Hub delivered by Imperial College London and Partners: Researchers close to grant submission can request a grantsmanship review from leading experts with panel experience via the research Support Service (RSS). A post-application advisory support and planning service is also available to successful applicants.
This hub is particularly keen to support those without established academic networks, or those working in areas or disciplines with less of a research presence.
UCL: PPI Resources: University College London have compiled a list of very helpful useful resources to promote and support PPI. These are aimed at:
Imperial College London: Public Involvement Resource Hub
ARC North Thames: An Introduction to PPI for Researchers
Cancer Research UK: Patient involvement toolkit for researchers
Please make sure that you seek advice on how to cost your PPIE activities properly during the pre-award phase of the research (see the tab on PPIE reward and recognition for further details).
If you do not have funds to support PPIE contributors at the pre-award stage, there are some possible sources of funding you might want to apply for:
The Centre for Public Engagement Small Grants Scheme (up to £1000, decisions made monthly)
If you are applying for funding from the School for Primary Care Research, there are some funds for pre-award support you can apply for. Please contact Juliet Henderson for further details: juliet.henderson@qmul.ac.uk
WIPH PPIE Drop-in Session: In addition to pre-award support, the WIPH drop-in sessions also provide an opportunity for you to share any PPIE issues and successes with experienced colleagues from the Institute. Some sessions are ‘open’ discussions, while others are topic-based and can help explore and address specific PPIE issues that people are experiencing. If you would like to suggest a topic for a drop-in session, please email your request to: involve-wiph@qmul.ac.uk
WIPH PPIE Strategic Working Group: This group includes representation from academic and professional services staff from across the WIPH who undertake extensive PPIE activities as part of their role. The aim of this group is to identify and act on ongoing PPIE issues, and to advocate for excellent PPIE resources and support in the longer term. If you think you have a strategic PPIE issue that needs to be explored by the group, please email Megan Clinch.
Recruiting PPIE representatives: If you need to recruit PPIE representatives or extend the membership of any existing PPIE groups, there are several options (in addition to your own networks) that might be helpful.
The WIPH Involvement Opportunities Newsletter: The newsletter is sent to a growing pool of people from east London who have expressed an interest in becoming involved in WIPH research. To circulate opportunities through the newsletter email: involve-wiph@qmul.ac.uk
Members of the public and community organisations can sign up to the newsletter via the QR code below. The QR can also be downloaded from here. Please offer the opportunity to people you think might be interested.
WIPH Involvement Champions: Note that the newsletter is a shared WIPH resource that benefits all WIPH PPIE activity. Given this, any help recruiting east London residents and community organisations to the newsletter through the delivery of outreach and engagement activities is welcomed. If you would like to become a WIPH Involvement Champion and share WIPH PPIE projects and opportunities with local residents from across east London, please register your interest by emailing: involve-wiph@qmul.ac.uk . Becoming a WIPH Involvement Champion is a good opportunity to understand the health research needs and experiences of our local population, and to develop your own PPIE practice. It is an excellent career development opportunity for PhD students and ECRs. We will pay PhD students on a sessional basis for Involvement Champion work they undertake.
PPIE training for contributors: Many PPIE training opportunities for researchers are also open to contributors. Offering training is an excellent way of supporting contributors to feel confident and empowered about their role. Below is a list of online and in-person training courses open to PPIE contributors:
Training opportunities are also shared via the fortnightly WIPH Good Newsletter and the weekly Research Roundup.
Note there are costs associated with some of these training opportunities. Please make sure that training and support for contributors and researchers is costed at the pre-award stage. There is currently no central WIPH funding for PPIE training.
If you know of further resources that you think your colleges across the WIPH might find helpful, please email involve-wiph@qmul.ac.uk and we will add them here.
Public Engagement:
The Centre for Public Engagement run regular fortnightly Advice Surgeries where you can pick the team’s brains about all things public engagement. They are happy to discuss potential ideas, assist with project development, look at logistics, signpost to funding, and more, both within Queen Mary and across the wider public engagement landscape.
QM Centre for Public Engagement Advice Surgeries