PPI information for Patients and Public – Research Design Service North East and North Cumbria

The RDS NENC Public Involvement Consumer Panel comprises members of the public with health concerns, carer duties or who have a general interest in health and social care matters.

Researchers, using the advisory services of the RDS NENC, are able to present summaries of their research projects to the panel for discussion. The panel members are able to comment on the project addressing issues such as the importance and relevance of the research topic to the public; whether or not the lay summary raises unanswered questions about the research proposal, and how further public involvement can be incorporated into the research programme.

The panel members are able to assist researchers with the provision online feedback on lay summaries. This is an opportunity to ensure that the summaries accurately convey the research proposal and gives the researcher chance to present outside of their peer group before presenting to a funding panel.

We are recruiting new members of the RDS NENC Consumer Panel. Click here to go to our ‘Join the RDS NENC Consumer Panel’ page, where you can find more details about the role and the next steps to register your interest.

Experiences of being Consumer Panel member

This video was developed in collaboration with the Research Design Service North East consumer panel members as a way of conveying experiences of being on the panel. The panellists come from a variety of backgrounds and joined the panel for various reasons. It is hoped that the video offers some insight into what it is like to be a member.

“I love being a member of the Research Design Service Consumer Panel for the North East and North Cumbria. We meet outstanding people from the National Health Service, and from University research departments who really do value our contribution in assisting them to hone their descriptions of their amazing and essential work. Panel members are a great team and the staff of the RDS are superb colleagues and a joy to work with”.

“The best part of being on PPI panel is getting to meet so many dedicated researchers and hearing of their research on a wide variety of health and wellbeing issues. I love being part of a group helping the researcher develop the PPI . And supporting them with the patient viewpoint. It makes you feel really good being able to have a positive effect on research for patient benefit and the the researchers always value and recognise our efforts“.