The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds health and care research, translating discoveries into practice. The NIHR’s vision is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research, involving patients and the public in all of their work. There is a comprehensive section about patient and public involvement in research on the NIHR website: www.nihr.ac.uk/patients-carers-and-the-public
The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) Yorkshire and Humber is one of the regional clinical research delivery arms of the NHS. There is a lot of support available through our local CRN for patients and the public who would like to be involved in research.
The NIHR has also released a guide: Starting Out Guide - Why and how to get involved in research.
The NIHR Research Champion initiative is supported by NIHR Clinical Research Networks across the country. The NIHR advises that "Research Champions volunteer their time to help spread the word about health and care research to patients and the public, and especially those groups who are currently less likely to take part in research."
If you are enthusiastic about health research and would like more information about becoming a Research Champion in the Yorkshire and Humber area then you can contact Evie Chandler to discuss. Evie supports research involvement as our locality’s Patient, Public and Carer Involvement and Engagement Officer. You can also follow Evie on Twitter at @EviePPICRNyh.
The Clinical Research Network Yorkshire and Humber has produced a short video in which John White explains why he volunteers as a Research Champion (previously known as Patient Research Ambassadors):
There is a lot of useful information about patient and public involvement (PPI) in Yorkshire and Humber on our local Clinical Research Network’s (LCRN) website:
https://local.nihr.ac.uk/lcrn/yorkshire-and-humber/
For more information about what being a Research Champion involves please visit the NIHR website:
