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Get involved in research

As a member of the public (including patients, carers or service users) you can help shape the health and care research by sharing your experiences and giving your advice.

Your involvement makes our research more relevant to our local communities and means that the results will help drive positive improvements in people’s lives.

Public involvement is different to research participation.  When you are involved in research as a public member, you will not be asked to take part in a clinical trial, give samples or provide data, for example.  Public involvement is about helping to shape the design of a research project rather than taking part in one.

“Medical knowledge isn’t the only important knowledge. It’s important for researchers to know what it’s like to actually have a condition or use services, and how that impacts on someone’s life; medical knowledge doesn’t tell you that.”

Angela Barnard, Patient and Carer

Public involvement at BHP

What can I do?

As a public contributor, you can:

  • Share your lived experience of health and care with researchers through workshops, meetings and focus groups. Held in person, online or a mix of both, these sessions enable you to help shape the future of research in Birmingham and beyond
  • Help researchers decide on priorities and questions for health and care research
  • Work with researchers to create research ideas
  • Become a member of a research project team
  • Help researchers ensure that public information – including leaflets and websites – are easy to understand
  • Help to share research findings with the general public
How do I get involved?

Each of the Birmingham Health Partners have a range of research groups that patients, service users, carers, and members of the public can get involved with.  Take a look at what is available on our research page and, if you see something that looks of interest, please use the relevant contact details to get in touch and express your interest.

Alternatively, the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) – the research arm of the NHS – also has a website where you can search for opportunities to be involved in, and shape, research, called People in Research. 

If you’d like to take part in a study as a participant (i.e. provide information, data, take part in a clinical trial etc), you can also visit the Be Part of Research website.

Why should I take part?

By getting involved in research, you can:

  • Learn more about health conditions and research
  • Meet new people
  • Gain new skills, or use existing skills to help others
  • Meet researchers, hear about their work and influence their next project
  • Find out about events happening locally and nationally
  • Give something back to the NHS and society

Group members often say that being involved gives them hope.

Your lived experiences are important and make a real difference to research, as your views and suggestions can improve how a study is conducted and the experience of those taking part. It also helps the findings of research be more relevant to the people and communities the research is based on.

Most research projects will reimburse public members for their involvement time and expenses (for research involvement only – research participation is usually voluntary).

Contact

Get in touch with our friendly team at: PublicInvolvementBHP@contacts.bham.ac.uk