Researchers across Manchester attend drop-in sessions to find out more about patient and public involvement/engagement
Free sessions for researchers across Manchester to find out more about patient and public involvement and engagement (PPI/E) in clinical research have been hailed a success.
The drop-in events were organised by the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) Public Programmes Team on behalf of MAHSC . The sessions were open to researchers employed by a MAHSC partner organisation, delivering research involving women and/or children.
They took place throughout October, at CMFT, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, providing researchers involved in writing grant applications and/or developing research projects, with an opportunity to discuss PPI/E and how to link it to their studies.
The Public Programmes Team based within CMFT is a small specialist unit advising on and delivering patient and public involvement and engagement (PPI/E) within biomedical research.
The sessions were hosted by Leah Holmes, Director of Public Programmes, and Suzanne Parsons, Patient Involvement and Research Project Manager, with support from Katharine Cresswell, Public Involvement and Events Officer, who also organised the events.
Katharine said:
It was great to be able to get out and about into hospitals across Manchester, including here at CMFT, to meet and chat to academics and scientists, and to find out more about their incredibly interesting and complex work.”
“Leah and Suzanne offered the free sessions to allow researchers to discuss any PPI/E queries that they had, regarding grant proposals involving women and/or children.
“By attending the events, researchers may now also be eligible to be one of seven research groups across Greater Manchester selected by MAHSC to receive further support from the Public Programmes Team to develop their PPI/E plans and support their grant writing.”
Kylie Watson, NIHR Clinical Doctoral Fellow at Saint Mary’s Hospital, said: “It was so helpful to meet the Public Programmes Team and have some time to discuss how I can get women involved with different aspects of my research.”
Kylie with Suzanne
The Public Programmes Team will be in touch with all the researchers who attended the sessions to provide them with a bespoke action plan based on what was discussed. Researchers will be informed by the first week in November if they have been selected by MAHSC to receive additional support.
The Public Programmes Team is happy to discuss ways in which they are able to support researchers with their Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement needs, for more information please email publicprogrammes@cmft.nhs.uk.
