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So, public involvement in research. Um, right...
I often talk to researchers, in meetings and in training sessions especially, who are feeling totally intimidated at the thought of involving the public in what they do. This might be because they've just never done it before, or it might be that they've looked at the guidance on funders websites, which can be huge and very detailed and scary, and now they want to lie down until the room stops whirling. Researchers talk about feeling overwhelmed and that they just don't know where to start.
"Don't panic" I say "I've got a guide!"
Last year I was asked to produce a new researchers' guide to public involvement, for a research programme https://www.arc-nt.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/patients-and-public/ in London. In it I go through the 5 Ws -
What is public involvement?
Who are the public?
Why should I involve them?
Where and when (and how) do I do it?
I cover some of the practicalities, like how to think about increasing diversity, how to think about budgets and evaluation. I've kept it short and included lots of links, so that the detail is kept to a minimum. Hopefully this will make it less intimidating!
Here's the link, Let me know how it goes...