Established in April 2020, the Centre for Population Health’s Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Advisory Group is the bedrock of the Centre’s approach to improving and developing appropriate and relevant research.
The Group are involved in every stage of research development. Involvement includes helping to design and develop research, funding applications, gaining ethical approval, recruiting participants and sharing findings – ensuring that the Centre’s research results are more likely to benefit the public and patients and make a positive difference to healthcare and society.
The Group consists of a lay chair, lay members, the PPI lead for the Centre, and the Centre Director and Centre Manager. Other members of the Centre, including Executive members, attend as appropriate. The Group meets quarterly and keeps in touch in between for specific issues.
Soo Vinnicombe, Centre for Population PPI Lead, spoke to some of the members at a recent meeting to find out what motivated them to become involved in PPI.
Chair – Sarah Peddle
As well as professional experience in local government education services, Sarah has a great deal of PPI experience, including contributing to funding applications, trial management groups, a variety of PPI Groups and facilitation of training. Sarah was keen to bring these experiences to the role of Chair.
What made you want to be a PPI member?
“I joined the Public Involvement Community in May 2017 and have been involved in a wide range of PPI opportunities since joining. I have always had an interest in health and care research and have sought these opportunities to become more involved as a patient/public member. As a mum of two primary aged children, with a chronic health condition which affects my daily life and with professional experience in local government education services, I was keen to get involved with the Centre”.
Lay member – Dr Helen Davies
Helen’s professional background is in health research, with over 20 years of research experience working within various settings, including healthcare and education. PPI involvement was an integral part of her research.
What made you want to become a PPI member?
“Now in retirement, I was very keen to transfer the skills and knowledge learnt in my working life as a health researcher and felt it was time to refocus my attention to contribute to the voice and opinions of patients and public to direct research. So I’ve done a full circle! From a researcher who includes PPI in her research to a PPI advisor to help inform research!”
Dr Rachael Hunter
Rachael has a background in the NHS, where she worked as an NHS Clinical Psychologist working with children and families and in health settings. She now works at Swansea University as a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and is Programme Director of the Clinical Psychology and Mental Health MSc.
What made you want to become a PPI member?
“I am always keen to make sure organisations are pushed to work closely with people who have lived experiences they can draw on. This is especially important for research because too often, research objectives are set by people who can be far removed from the experience and, as a result, may have different ideas of what’s important. So I am always keen to try and make sure research is meaningful, valuable and relatable for the community it is serving.”
If you are interested in finding out more or if becoming a member of the PPI group is something that interests you, please contact Soo Vinnicombe, PPI Lead, at s.vinnicombe@bangor.ac.uk
National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research is funded by the Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales.