PPI ‘to infinity and beyond’: Public involvement changing the local health landscape

2014 Conference

Abstract: Solent NHS Trust is one of the few where a single Team straddles Research, Clinical Audit and Service Evaluation. Embedding patient and public involvement (PPI) in these areas links research to local services in a clear way. Our objective is to provide different opportunities to be involved, using innovative engagement. We are passionate about supporting and fostering development of those individuals, community and hard to reach groups. We have involvees who are contributing to research in long-term conditions who also engage in opportunities to change their local services. Many see rapid impact of their contribution when involved in a service evaluation (I will give an example of working with a group of parent carers of children with complex health needs). This way of working also links in with our patient experience and general public engagement of the Trust and our lay governors, local Healthwatch which matches national objectives from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and NHS England Citizen.

As a Community Trust we host and conduct our own research with local universities, and Clinical Research Networks, Acute Trusts and so on. As a smaller trust we are able to be more ‘hands on’ with our involvement. I will give an example of working with a university researcher, a Trust research physiotherapist and a carer alongside a person with learning difficulties and how her involvement empowered her to engage in her own health care in a positive, safe and productive way using a study to prevent falls in people with learning difficulties.