Background to the bursaries
The Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research has set up a bursary fund to support researchers to actively involve patients and the public in research.
Regulatory and funding bodies increasingly expect researchers to demonstrate the involvement of patients or the public in the research process. The benefits include research relevance, better design and conduct of research, better information provision and enhanced recruitment and retention to studies.
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in research refers to the active involvement of patients or the public in the research process – for instance in helping to plan, design or carry out research. It does not refer to more general awareness raising activities or to the recruitment of people as participants in research studies.
Examples of ways patients and the public can be actively involved in research
Patients and the public can:
- help identify research questions and priorities
- look at research processes and advise researchers on how practical and acceptable they are to potential participants
- advise researchers on outcome measures and how meaningful and reliable they are to patients
- improve the language and accessibility of patient information and invitation letters
- help carry out study recruitment or data collection
- become advocates and disseminators of research findings.
There are different levels of patient/public involvement. For instance, patients/members of the public may be:
- joint grant holders/co-applicants on a project
- members of a project steering group or patient panel
- participants in a one-off workshop.
Bursaries for patient and public involvement – guidance
The maximum bursary is £500.
This bursary is specifically aimed at supporting researchers to actively involve patients and the public in their research. The bursaries will support involvement that is not otherwise able to be costed, for example prior to grant application. They will not normally fund PPI activities which can be costed into a grant application.
The strategic aim in setting up the fund is to develop and promote good research by:
- developing PPI so it is practised across AUKCAR research and becomes embedded in the research process
- ensuring PPI is conducted well and is a good experience for both the public and researchers so that it has a beneficial impact on research
- raising the profile of PPI among the research community and the public.
Priorities of the bursary fund are to:
- enable researchers to involve patients and the public at an early stage in their research
- promote PPI that has a demonstrable and meaningful impact on research
- improve the quality and effectiveness of PPI activities already taking place
- find imaginative and innovative ways of involving patients and the public
- encourage the active involvement of patients and the public in setting research priorities and the strategic development of research.
Examples of activities which can be funded include:
- setting up meetings with groups of patients, carers, service users or the public. For example hiring a venue external to your organisation, providing refreshments
- reimbursement for patients, carers etc. for their time
- reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by members of the public such as travel, subsistence and carer costs
- materials which would not normally be accessible within your organisation.
The bursary does not fund projects aimed at:
- raising awareness of research, sharing knowledge or engaging and creating a general dialogue with the public
- recruitment of patients or members of the public as participants in research.
Eligibility
- The principal applicant for funding must be a member of staff or PhD student at an AUKCAR partner institution and the research must be AUKCAR badged. These bursaries are not available for undergraduate or Masters students.
- The proposed project should be for applied asthma research being conducted at an AUKCAR partner institution.
- Bursaries cannot be used to pay university or NHS staff for their time.
- Priority will be given to researchers who do not have access to RDS PPI bursaries.
Applications should demonstrate:
- what will be done
- how PPI will impact on the research study or research area
- how the impact of PPI will be recorded and evaluated
- how the researchers will find and approach people to involve
- how individual patients or members of the public will be supported
- outline breakdown of likely costs
- timetable – with completion date.
Application process
Researchers are invited to submit a proposal for actively involving patients or the public in research.
- The involvement may be in one particular project or selection of projects, or in setting research priorities at departmental or divisional level.
- Applications are encouraged that fit in with one or more of the priorities of the fund (see above).
AUKCAR Patient and Public Involvement Bursary Application form 2017
Applicants should fill in the application form and send it by email to Allison.Worth@ed.ac.uk
If you have any queries, contact Allison Worth at Allison.Worth@ed.ac.uk
What happens to your application
Your application will be read by the Patient and Public Involvement Advisor and a panel of three members of the AUKCAR patient advisory group with experience of patient and public involvement in research.
Selection criteria
The panel will consider:
- whether the project fits with the strategic aims and priorities of this fund (see above)
- the potential immediate and long term impact of the project on research and how it will be evaluated
- whether the project can realistically be delivered within cost and time constraints
- the likely quality of involvement – will it be a positive and meaningful experience for both public and researchers
- the use of innovative and imaginative approaches to PPI.
Conditions of the award
Successful applicants will be expected to provide a detailed written report on their project when it is completed. Successful applicants will also be asked to publicise their award and the outcomes of the funding in collaboration with AUKCAR and the PPI Platform.
Feedback will be given to all applicants and unsuccessful applicants can reapply in future bursary rounds.
Resources available
You will find extensive information about patient and public involvement on the INVOLVE website
A guide to patient and public involvement in research is available on the AUKCAR website
You can see examples of successful applications for a similar bursary scheme
You are welcome to discuss your plans informally with Allison Worth – email Allison.Worth@ed.ac.uk