Working with a team of professional researchers is inspiring and rewarding.

I feel that I can add value and be valued for my contribution.

There is satisfaction in knowing that skills and experience gained over a lifetime have a currency for today and the future.

Keeping skills refreshed, learning new idea and being part of the modern world is exciting.

The PPI work has been a wonderful opportunity to give something back at the same time as learning something new.”

ABOUT US

Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) is fundamental to the work we do at Kadoorie Institute, Trauma and Emergency care, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedic, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), Oxford University. Our group of PPIE partners has grown over the years and includes core members from the Midlands and Oxford who have been working alongside us for many years. This core of experienced PPIE partners has enabled us to grow and develop, taking part in ever more exciting projects. The most recent has been the James Lind Alliance research priority setting exercise. PPIE partners, clinicians and researchers have worked together on an equal footing to generate a list of the most important research questions for recovery from traumatic injury. These are already being used to direct research. PPIE partners presented their role in this work at an International conference in Oxford. A new study is expanding our skills, with PPIE partners working as co-researchers to ensure patient experience is firmly at the centre of our research.

Our current group of PPIE partners come from across the UK and bring with them a broad range of experience. In addition to their professional roles many have been a patient or a carer. A wonderful synergy is created when this knowledge is integrated with a passion to be involved and make a difference. Combine this with the rigors of the research processes and we get creative discussions, challenge, but also support and comfort, through the sharing of practical wisdom. Attention to detail and grammar is also a welcomed benefit.          

The PPIE partners meet formally once a year to reflect on activity in the past year and plan for the following year. PPIE partners choose the degree to which they wish to be involved. Research proposals, patient information sheets are circulated for advice and direction. Some PPIE partners choose to attend or present at conferences, be co-applicants on a study or be members of a steering committee or be part of the management group for a specific study. PPIE partners can be very active and then take a break. Many PPIE partners have several work roles and family commitments, so this degree of flexibility works for them. We are very happy for PPIE partners to choose when to be involved and welcome all types of involvement. PPIE partners also join in all of our teaching sessions, called cluster sessions, at Wolfson College, there are two a term and a specific PPIE cluster session in October each year.

The Kadoorie Institute at the John Radcliffe Hospital was set up in 2003 supported by Sir Michael and Lady Betty Kadoorie. The capacity for research and education has grown every year, under the early leadership of Professors Keith Willett, Sallie Lamb and currently, Professors Matt Costa, Xavier Griffin and Dan Perry. The studies focus on: different treatments and the effectiveness of these treatments; improving recovery through rehabilitation; patient experience of treatment, recovery and study processes; staff experience of the provision of care and study processes.

Over the years the impact of PPIE means our studies focus more clearly on aspects of treatment that are important to patients, study designs are improved to enable more people to take part and patient/family experiences of treatments are highlighted. We feel this is an enormous contribution that improves our ability to provide the best care possible to patients.

If you would like to consider joining us in any way please contact oxfordtrauma@ndorms.ox.ac.uk.

The James Lind Alliance work was a really positive and rewarding experience. It was truly collaborative, requiring teamwork; with all members equal and all opinions valued whether clinician or PPI member. It required real commitment but great to see it through from beginning to end

In my working life I’ve rarely seen people with different roles work together so smoothly and effectively to deliver a piece of work” (On JLA project) In 2012 my mother, aged 88, suffered a hip fracture. A devastating injury exacerbated by post-operative delirium. I saw the impact, both physically and mentally that this had and I wanted to do something to help improve care for other patients and their families. Over the past six years it has been very rewarding to work with dedicated teams of professionals who are actively engaging with patients and carers to improve treatments and patient care’.

Training and development

There are many training resources which relate to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). 

These include: 

Training for Reviewing - an interactive course about reviewing in research contexts,.from the National Institue of Health and Care Research

Peer Research Training resource - a training resource from Imperial College London, for academics and public involvement practitioners who want to train people with lived experience to become co-researchers

An Introduction and Practical Guide to Community Engagement and Involvement in Global Health Research - an online course which would be particularly relevant to PPI members taking part in global health research, from the Global Health Training Centre

Achieving public dialogue - a course from The Open University, about improving dialogue between 'science' and 'the public'

There are also interesting and informative articles/training courses which are relevant to Patient and Public Involvement but are for a broader audience/designed for researchers: 

NIHR Race Equality Framework: development of a tool for addressing racial equality in public involvement

INCLUDE framework: Better Healthcare Through More Inclusive Research

Working with People and Communities to Improve Health Outcomes

Research Methods: A Practical Guide to Peer and Community Research

Public Involvement in Research