This section has been developed to provide information for those who want to be involved in research and/or those who just want to know a bit more about it.

CLAHRC Commitments

CLAHRC-LNR has made the following commitments to engage patients and the public within and across its work streams and structures:

• Project and/or theme steering groups will have a member (PPI Champion) whose primary remit is to help to protect participant safety and ensure that public and patient perspectives inform the design, delivery and dissemination of activities
• Meetings and associated papers should avoid unexplained acronyms and jargon
• Meetings will have clear terms of reference and appropriate methods for encouraging and supporting contributions from lay members
• Meetings involving patients and lay representatives will be held at accessible times and in accessible locations
• Patients and lay members of groups and committees will:
  • Be provided with a clear role description which will be regularly reviewed
  • Be provided with profiles of other members
  • Be assigned an academic or clinical mentor who will support their full and active participation and be available to answer questions and address any issues or concerns
  • Be provided with training and other appropriate support to ensure that they can effectively contribute to all groups and committees
  • Be provided with feedback from, and be enabled to provide feedback to, other members of the group or committee to ensure that they are full members of the group and their views and opinions given full deliberation
  • Receive reimbursement for all reasonable expenses incurred

• Study participants and lay members of groups and committees will be provided with information about the outcomes and impacts of research of which they are a part
• PPI in projects and other activities will be documented and particular note will be taken of where decisions or activities were modified because of this engagement and agreed by the lay members