The HRA is developing a set of expectations for public involvement in applications for Approvals to help applicants benefit from the contribution patients and the public can make to their research.
The expectations will outline the key elements of how good public involvement can help to make studies that the HRA reviews more ethical. This is based on the Impact of public involvement on the ethical aspects of research – a joint evidence briefing that the HRA issued with NIHR-INVOLVE in May 2016.
The second part will set out how the HRA expects applicants to work collaboratively to involve relevant patients and/or the public in designing and conducting their studies. This should result in well-designed studies that are relevant to the needs of patients and the public and which should be approved and recruit participants more easily.
This set of expectations will complement and reference the National Standards for Public Involvement developed by Public Involvement Standards Development Partnership. This brings together representatives from the four nations; the Chief Scientist Office (Scotland), Health and Care Research Wales, the Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland) and the National Institute for Health and Research (England).
The expectations will be published shortly and the HRA will seek feedback once they are being used to refine and develop them further.