We believe it is vital that people with bowel conditions, and parents and carers of people with bowel conditions, are given the opportunity to influence and participate in research, and there is increasing evidence of the significant impact that involving people can have.
It ensures that the right research is done, and that the research is done right. That is why we coordinate patient and public involvement activities through our People and Research Together(PaRT) network.
We aim to make it easier for researchers to involve people in their research studies. Public involvement in your research will have the following benefits:
- Improved chances of funding success
- Enhanced study design and recruitment
- Relevant research that has an impact
We believe that researchers benefit from public involvement in research because the process helps them to pinpoint what is important to people with a particular bowel condition, and helps with vital understanding about what it feels like to have a serious bowel condition or to be part of the care support system for those living with such conditions.
Public involvement in your research means that it will be of a higher quality and will help you attract more respondents willing to take part. It is increasingly recognised that by involving members of the public this will increase the chances of obtaining funding and therefore making a real impact on the lives of the people your research is aiming to improve.
Our PaRT network is valuable to you because it gives access to an unbiased population that is independent, so can input into your research project as a critical friend, rather than being in the position of a grateful patient. The dynamic is vastly different.
Our PaRT network can connect researchers to people willing to participate in a variety of roles. If you would like people affected by abowel conditions to be involved in your research or to participate in your study, we can help by:
- identifying and prioritising research questions with you
- suggesting ideas for specific research projects
- acting as as joint grant holders or co-applicants on a research project
- reviewing funding applications
- joining as members of a project advisory board or steering group
- commenting on and developing patient information research or other research materials
- identifying ethical issues and advising on solutions
- suggesting recruitment methods and strategies (and advising on alternatives if recruitment delays)
- undertaking interviews with research participants or assisting in focus groups
- supporting dissemination of the research outputs to a lay audience via our Big Bowel Event
- co-authoring journal papers and articles for the wider media
- presenting and promoting research findings at conferences, roundtables and workshops
Bowel Research UK works in partnership with a group of over 1,600 patients, all of whom have expressed an interest in getting involved in research. With this group and a strong network of wider supporters, we are uniquely positioned to support funding applications (to Bowel Research UK and other funders), and have experience of involving patients in a wide range of research activities.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss ways in which we can support your work and ensure the needs and priorities of patients are met.
“It is said that research is formulised curiosity. It is investigating and exploring new knowledge with a purpose. And it is the public that gives research that purpose- research into bowel disease and cancer cannot be delivered without the involvement of patients and the public. My role is to ensure that our PPI objectives are delivered in recognition that such objectives underpin all the work that we do. Patients and public always offer unique and invaluable insights so that bowel research is enriched by involving those that it aims to help”.
Lesley Booth, Director of Research, Bowel Research UK
If you are a researcher who wishes to involve members of the public in your research, click the link below:
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