We have signed a new shared commitment to improve public involvement in health and social care research in the UK.
Developed with the Health Research Authority, the National Institute for Health Research and a group of other funders, regulators and research organisations, the commitment is central to nationwide efforts to make health and social care research matter for patients and the public.
Professor Steve West, President of Universities UK, said:
“Research is vitally important to the UK, as evidenced by the university sector’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and other global issues including climate change. Public engagement not only improves research, but also benefits researchers, patients and the public. We will be encouraging our members to reflect on the statement as well as their own commitments to public engagement.”
Professor Steve West
President of Universities UK
The statement
The statement, signed by Universities UK, reads:
“Public involvement is important, expected and possible in all types of health and social care research.
“Together our organisations and members fund, support and regulate health and social care research. This statement is our joint commitment to improve the extent and quality of public involvement across the sector so that it is consistently excellent.
“People have the right to be involved in all health and social care research. Excellent public involvement is an essential part of health and social care research and has been shown to improve its quality and impact. People’s lived experiences should be a key driver for health and social care research.
“When we talk about public involvement, we mean all the ways in which the research community works together with people including patients, carers, advocates, service users, and members of the community. 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.
“Working together we will support the research community to carry out excellent public involvement. We will provide or share guidance, policies, systems, and incentives.
“We will:
listen to and learn from the people and communities we involve and apply and share that learning
build and share the evidence of how to involve the public and the impact this has
support improvements in equality, diversity, and inclusion in public involvement
