The Health Research Authority (HRA) has joined leading organisations to launch a new initiative to build on a joint pledge to improve public involvement in health and social care research.
The initiative will see 22 health and social care organisations, who are part of the Shared Commitment, come together every quarter to share best practice, guidance and new innovations in public involvement at Learning and Sharing sessions.
The Shared Commitment Learning and Sharing meetings will also involve members of the public and include discussions about challenges and barriers to making public involvement in research the norm.
The new Learning and Sharing meetings have been launched today on the second anniversary of the Shared Commitment to Public Involvement.
The Shared Commitment was launched in partnership with the HRA, leading health and social care organisations, and members of the public in March 2022.
The Shared Commitment is a joint pledge that each of the organisations has signed, to improve the quality of public involvement across the health and social care research sector.
The Learning and Sharing meetings are held virtually every quarter with the Shared Commitment partner organisations.
Naho Yamazaki, Deputy Director of Policy and Partnerships at the HRA'We have launched our new Shared Commitment Learning and Sharing meetings to build on what we have achieved so far, and to continue to raise the profile and importance of public involvement in health and social care research.
'Coming together on a regular basis to share our learning and discuss our challenges will help to ensure that we improve the quality of public involvement in our organisations and across the sector.
'I’m really proud of what we have achieved so far through our Shared Commitment, and it’s fantastic to launch our new Learning and Sharing meetings as we mark our second anniversary.'
The Shared Commitment builds on work led by the HRA in response to the reduction in public involvement seen in studies submitted for approval at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public involvement refers to all the ways in which the research community works together with people, including patients, carers, advocates, service users, and members of the community in the design and delivery of research.
Excellent public involvement is inclusive, values all contributions, ensures people have a meaningful say in what happens, and influences outcomes, as set out in the UK Standards for Public Involvement.
Evidence shows that excellent public involvement improves the quality and impact of research.