Research Champions and Public Contributors
A public contributor is someone who is engaged in Clinical Research Network activities specifically to provide expertise from the lived experience of a patient or member of the public.
Research Champions
We work closely with a number of Research Champions who volunteer their time to help the NIHR Clinical Research Network spread the word about health and care research to patients and the public, and especially those groups who are currently less likely to take part in research.
Research Champions are passionate about getting more people involved in research so that we can develop better care and treatment for everyone.
Research Champions also help health and care staff understand patients' experience of research. Through their important work, Research Champions help us promote research in health and social care services, and across society more widely.
Who can be a Research Champion?
A Research Champion is someone who is:
A member of the public, including patients and carers, who have taken part in a research trial before, as well as those who have not.
Passionate about improving health and care through research.
Passionate about getting more people involved in research.
Eager to spread awareness of research to other members of the public.
What can Research Champions do?
The activities that Research Champions do are determined by their personal interests and time they have available. Activities that are involved include:
Talking to patients and the public about health and care research.
Raise awareness of health and care research and encouraging people to take part.
Promote Be Part Of Research and help others find out about studies they can take part in.
Promote the Join Dementia Research website and the importance of dementia research to the public.
Raise public awareness of health and care research by helping to co-design materials such as posters and leaflets.
Take part in local events and activities.
Visit local organisations to tell people about health and care research.
Take part in media interviews to share your experience and help raise public awareness of research.
Collect feedback from research participants about their experience.
Support and development
As a Research Champion, you will have a main staff contact in your local area who will be there to help and support you in your role.
All Research Champions are required to complete a sign up form and attend a short induction that will provide you with all the practical information you may need.
We like to keep up to date with our Research Champions via use of this form. The responses are used to inform our Quarterly Research Champions Meetings.
If you are especially interested in promoting dementia research, you may need to also attend our Join Dementia Research induction module.
If you want, you will be able to join NIHR Learn, which is a dedicated online learning community to connect with further Research Champions, as well as access to online leaning resources.
You will be offered other activities to support your development as a Research Champion.
You can look out for other opportunities on the People in Research website.
Find relevant resources and materials for Research Champions here, including information regarding expenses.
Research Ready Communities
Research Ready Communities is a national programme working in partnership with communities in the local area.
The programme was designed to support Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs) to build relationships with under-served communities to increase their access to health and care research opportunities.
We want health and care research to be more inclusive, to reflect and represent all groups and communities to address health inequalities.
What does the Research Ready Communities programme involve?
Partnering with local organisations who know and understand their communities the best, and who are interested in making research more inclusive for their community.
Find and train Community Champions who are passionate about creating positive changes for their community. All Community Champions are provided with knowledge and skills training to talk about health and social care research.
Support Community Champions to hold listening conversations. This enables us to understand local awareness and views of health and social care research, so that we can better understand how people relate to research in that community.
Co-design local activities to improve inclusion in research.
Staying in touch with Community Champions and partner organisations to facilitate engagement and further inclusion in the future.
Resources
Public Contributors Information Pack- single pages.pdfResearch Champion_Role Description.pdf