Support

Think about the support you might be able to access:

Senior support

If you’re an early career researcher, you should discuss your plans for PPI with your supervisor. They may not be experienced in this area, but will hopefully be supportive.

"PPI is so important for all types of research. If your research focuses on a particular condition then including some PPI is a must. It really benefits every step of the research program. Ultimately the people living with a condition know the most about it. They can input into your research - whether that be how to communicate it or where the research could go in the future. This can change the way you think about your research project, gaining a completely different viewpoint on a research idea is always a great thing to do when preparing a grant application. Another useful hint, is to enthuse your scientific team about PPI so they can actively include it in their research projects going forward, this will add huge value to your research program and their professional development." Dr Heather Mortiboys (Rachel's PhD supervisor)

Training and advice about PPI

Some charities and universities run training sessions for researchers about PPI - including lab based PPI. Many charities and PPI teams within universities will also be able to offer advice about:

• how to find people to involve (they may have panel of patients, carers and members of the public who are interested in research)

• how to plan your involvement

Some PPI teams have small grants available to help you to involve patients and carers.

To find out more about this type of support, contact the most relevant national charity and/or the PPI or engagement team at your university.

You could also contact INVOLVE for advice, especially if you are struggling to find a relevant charity or a PPI team at your university.

You could also take a look at relevant online communities on Twitter, or follow the #whywedoresearch hashtag.