Centre for Reproductive Health

Pregnancy Advisory Group

Your chance to advise on new research.

Patient and public involvement in research

The University of Edinburgh is looking for members of the public to join our Pregnancy Advisory Group and advise us on our research by bringing the patient/public view to the research.

Patient and public involvement is when members of the public are actively involved in research projects and organisations. This means research is carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them. Researchers and patients/members of the public work together to design, carry out and report on research.

By joining our Pregnancy Advisory Group you won’t be taking part in a study. You will be part of the research team getting actively involved in the research process itself. You will be a volunteer, giving your time to contribute to something interesting and useful. Healthcare researchers often want the ‘patient’ view of a topic and want your practical suggestions about how to improve their studies and the information they produce.

There are a variety of different ways to get involved. For example:

  • Suggesting new areas for research
  • Advising a research team on the design of their study when they are applying for the funding to do the work
  • Being part of a research advisory group or steering group for a specific project
  • Helping the team collect information, for example interviewing people
  • Helping the research team interpret their research results
  • Helping the research team to report their research results
  • Helping to write information for the public about research

Further information about public involvement in research can be found online with examples of roles and individual experience from helping to design research: 

http://www.invo.org.uk/find-out-more/what-is-public-involvement-in-research-2/

If you would like to find out more or actively become involved in the Pregnancy Advisory Group, please contact: Carol Porteous, Patient Public Involvement Advisor (Education Core)

Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, Wellcome Trust CRF, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU

www.edinburghcrf.ed.ac.uk

Twitter:@carol_porteous

Email: carol.porteous@ed.ac.uk

 

 Acknowledgement: Adapted from ‘Patient and Public’ Clinical Research Facility Edinburgh (CRFE) website.

View the CRFE website