Public and patient involvement
Bath Research and Development gives support and advice to researchers working in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire areas. As part of our work, we aim to support the involvement of patients, carers and other members of the public in planning and conducting health research.
Benefits of taking part
By being involved in our research you can:
- help researchers to plan more effective research
- help to find ways to improve services or to treat or prevent a wide range of health conditions
- learn more about how research is conducted
- develop new skills
- use any skills that you already have to benefit others that are unwell or disabled
- meet new people with similar interests
Research Panels
We invite members of the public to take part in our Research Panels where your ideas and experiences can help develop and shape new research projects being conducted.
These panels are an opportunity for our researchers devising new research studies to present their proposals and collect feedback from relevant groups.
You may be interested in joining one of our three panels if you:
- are a chronic pain patient
- are a carer for a relative, friend or neighbour
- struggle to lose weight or keep active
The Research Panels are held once every few months in the Department for Health at the main university campus.
What happens at the Research Panels?
Our researchers will present their proposal to the panel and then invite discussion from participants and collect your feedback. Your ideas and experiences will help to develop new research projects.
You don’t need to be an expert or have any particular qualifications – we would just love to know your views!
“There are great benefits to being involved in the Carers’ Panel, I now volunteer at a care home and am very aware of the needs and respond as needed.”
— Audrey Spearing
Research Panel member
Sign up
Sign up to receive details and dates about panels:
For more information contact Sarah Moore email: participate@bath.ac.uk | Tel: 01225 38 5951
Panels for research staff and funders
There are numerous benefits for researchers and research funders by involving the public in health research. You can:
- find out what is most important to members of the public or to people who suffer from a particular health condition
- gain a broader view of a range of solutions to a particular problem; solutions that are more likely to work in practice and to be acceptable to the people they are designed to help
- learn more about what it feels like to live with a particular condition or to be someone who cares for someone with a particular condition
- design research that is more likely to be effective in addressing a particular topic.
Should you wish to present your research project at a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Panel within Bath Research and Development then please first read our public involvement in research guide.
For some helpful hints on setting up your own Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Panel please read our PPI Panel Tips.
