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Public involvement and engagement during the pandemic

At the start of the pandemic , the Faculty made the bold commitment to continue public involvement in research as much as feasibly possible . This required rethinking how public involvement activities were delivered and supported . Keele staff were at the forefront in rallying a response from the NIHR Public Involvement Community , leading to a ‘ Shared Commitments statement ’, and Top Tips / blogs on supporting public involvement .
Although some projects were paused , others continued and new projects with public involvement started . For example , the School of Medicine Research User Group grew to over 180 members , with an increase in the number of individual cases of public involvement to 341 . This resulted in over 80 virtual meetings . The Faculty ’ s close links with NHS partners were reinforced through joint working on public involvement activities for rapid review of COVID-19 research projects . Remote working enabled greater involvement with younger and working people through evening meetings . We were also able to extend our reach to include members from ethnic communities who were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 . Other examples have included the following :
Examples of Public involvement in Faculty research
• Co-producing of a new quality awards programme for public involvement in research , in partnership with University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust , Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Expert Citizens
during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Developing health intelligence on musculoskeletal health care ( MIDAS - Multi-level
• Co-producing a new quality awards programme for public involvement in research , Integrated Data for musculoskeletal health intelligence and ActionS ) with University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust , Midlands Partnership NHS
• Undertaking rapid reviews of COVID-19 research applications , including an Observational Foundation Trust study and of musculoskeletal Expert Citizens pain during the COVID-19 pandemic
•• Developing Undertaking and rapid implementing reviews of COVID-19 a complex intervention research applications called VESCA , including ( Video-based an Examiner Observational Score study Comparison of musculoskeletal and Adjustment pain ) during to enhance the COVID-19 standardisation pandemic of OSCE
• examiner Co-producing judgements public facing resources with the Lay Involvement in Knowledge
• Co-producing Mobilisation ( public LINK ) facing group , resources such as the with BeeFree the Lay project Involvement to support in Knowledge people with long Mobilisation term pain and ( LINK mental ) group health , such conditions as the BeeFree project to support people with long term pain and mental health conditions
• Undertaking scoping exercises with current NHS Trust partner organisations to
• Undertaking support links scoping with the exercises School of with Nursing current and
NHS Midwifery
Trust partner organisations to support links with the School of Nursing and Midwifery
• Reviewing and supporting the development of the Faculty ’ s impact case studies for
• Reviewing and supporting the development of the Faculty ’ s impact case studies for the the
Research
Research Excellence Excellence Framework Framework 2121 2021 submission
submission
• Being part of the School of Medicine ’ s new Community of Practice
• Being part of the School of Medicine ’ s new Community of Practice , which brings
• together Co-producing public innovative involvement public expertise health across initiatives the School and clinical interventions through
• Co arts-based = producing community innovative engagement public health in initiatives the Philippines and clinical ( SOLACE interventions ) through artsbased Supporting community the Faculty engagement ’ s bid to in become the Philippines part of the ( SOLACE NIHR School ) for Public Health
• Supporting Research the Faculty ’ s bid to become part of the NIHR School for Public Health
• Research Shaping a new Race Equality Champion role , with a focus on diversifying the
• Shaping Faculty ’ s a public new Race involvement Equality activities Champion and role the with University a focus ’ s on equality diversifying , diversity the Faculty and ’ s public inclusion involvement agenda . and engagement activities and the University ’ s equality , diversity and inclusion agenda .
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