Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation in Research Strategy
2022 – 2027 Summary
Our Vision
The Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)’s vision is to achieve inclusive and accountable public involvement and engagement that is embedded across the BRC, leading to improvements in health and wellbeing most relevant to the needs of our Northwest London population.
Our Aims
Our 10 aims for Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation in Research (PPIEP) for the next five years are aligned with the Overall Strategic Plan of our BRC.
Public voices at the forefront
- To embed public involvement within BRC Theme management and governance
We will have public representation (as Community Partners) at all levels across the BRC: at Theme level, Theme management, and in overall BRC Governance. - To involve the public in BRC projects and activities
We will ensure PPIEP (and where the nature of the research allows, co-production) is planned and considered from the outset of our research.
Diversity is vital for science
- To engage and involve communities in our population which are underrepresented and under-served in research
We will build reciprocal relationships with communities identified in our population who are underrepresented and under-served according to our BRC Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Strategy. - To promote equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in public involvement, engagement, and participation in research
We will collect and monitor demographics of those we involve to understand whether we are including people from diverse backgrounds.
Training and building capacity
- To build capacity and confidence in BRC researchers to enable them to involve the public in research
BRC researchers will be required to undertake public involvement training and PPIEP training support and resources will be available to all BRC researchers. - To build capacity and confidence in the public to enable them to be involved and take part in our research
We will ensure that PPIEP training, support, resources and mentoring are available to the public we involve.
Partnership and collaboration are key
- To collaborate with key stakeholders locally and nationally undertaking PPIEP in health research
We have strong relationships with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (ICHT) and will continue to collaborate with other local and national stakeholders undertaking PPIEP in health research.
Reflection and evaluation
- To ensure public involvement activities are systematically evaluated and opportunities for reciprocal feedback are provided
We will facilitate the provision of feedback by researchers and the public as part of systematically evaluating public involvement activities. - To embed the UK Standards for Public Involvement across BRC Themes and projects
The UK Standards for Public Involvement will be included in all public involvement tools, resources, and training facilitated by the NIHR Imperial BRC Patient Experience Research Centre (PERC). - To collect and share the impact of public involvement
We will collect information on the impact of public involvement on: research; researchers; and on public contributors, and facilitate opportunities to share this impact.
Implementation of this Strategy
Implementation and delivery of this PPIEP Strategy is the responsibility of the BRC Theme leads on behalf of the BRC Director with support from PERC.
Monitoring our progress
PPIEP activity and impact in each BRC Theme will be monitored by the Theme’s strategic PPIEP steering group of Community Partners. Community Partner representation at Theme management and overall BRC Governance meetings will ensure we are held to account by the public at the most senior levels.
Resources
PERC will provide support to the BRC Themes in the form of guidance, resources and training and facilitate access to existing public networks.
Partnerships and collaborators
We continue to work in partnership with our partners and collaborators detailed in the full BRC PPIEP Strategy.
The full Imperial BRC PPIEP Strategy and an Action Plan detailing how we will achieve these aims are accessible below:
Key Individuals
-
Professor Helen Ward
Theme Lead, SGE, Professor of Public Health and Director, PERC -
Prof Mary Wells
Professor and Lead for Nursing and Midwifery - Theme Committee Member -
Professor Sophie Day
Visiting Professor of Anthropology
