The challenges of creating and establishing a patient and public involvement (PPI) in research strategy and user group panels in a clinically research active hospital: Lessons from the frontline

2014 Conference

Abstract: Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Trust (BSUH) is a clinically research active acute hospital on the south coast of England. BSUH conducts research across a wide variety of specialities including: cardiology, cancer, digestive diseases and hepatology (the branch of medicine that incorporates study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas), HIV and sexual health, immunology and infectious disease, neurology, ophthalmology, paediatrics and neonatology, rheumatology and surgery and trauma.

Despite a wealth of research investment and high level of activity across the Trust it has been recognised that patient and public involvement (PPI) in research needs to be given a higher priority by placing patients at the very heart of its research strategy.

This paper presents the challenges and opportunities of establishing a PPI strategy and infrastructure within the Trust while hearing the patient voice in the R&D activities undertaken in BSUH.

We will present plans to establish PPI user panels for BSUH R&D and our aspirations for streamlining PPI along the lines of the Trust’s research specialities and activities. We will highlight lessons learned from other research-active Trusts and Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) across the country and pin-point areas that require refinement as we come to a more complete strategy for improving PPI. Members of the BSUH General PPI Panel and the Young People’s Advisory Panel will present their experiences of contributing to and shaping these developmental PPI initiatives.

Acknowledgement:
PPI activities at BSUH are supported by the Brighton National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Facility (CRF).