Digital PRES 2020/21 Launch in North East and North Cumbria

Last year the Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria launched the region’s digital Participant Research Experience Survey (PRES). It proved to be a big success with delivery staff and participants alike, and between October 2019 and March 2020 we collected over 1,100 survey responses capturing the experiences of research participants in our region.

From Monday 1 June the digital PRES platform, accessible at MyResearchExperience.com, will be updated with new survey questions and relaunch. All of the processes and design of the website and carrying out of a questionnaire will remain the same, however there are now added surveys to collect more accurate experiences from children taking part in research.

A survey focused on children between 0 - 6 years, will be offered to parents or guardians to complete, in addition to bespoke, age appropriate, surveys for children between 7 - 11 years old and 12 - 15 years old.

Research participants can still be given PRES cards to write down unique codes on to access the relevant study survey at a time convenient to them, as well as the chance to complete the survey on their study visit if they’re at a clinical site.

A digital survey process should reduce infection risk at study sites, with electronic devices in clinical settings being sterilised more often.

Chris Speed, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, said: “Thanks to the introduction of our region’s digital PRES last year, we have been able to gather a more detailed picture of participants’ experiences in research in a more timely manner.

“We are keen that we continue to collect and share participant feedback on research experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, whatever the study population and setting. Digital PRES allows us to capture experiences at scale and pace at a unique time in health and social care. Our digital PRES platform will give us a great insight into the experiences of participants being involved in groundbreaking research into COVID-19.

“As more NIHR portfolio studies begin to restart after being paused at the beginning of the pandemic, and with the introduction of the new PRES questions, we will have a greater opportunity to run a PRES that captures more experiences from a wider range of respondents and perspectives.”

PRES reports from the 19/20 survey are available for study teams to use, and we will continue to produce a range of resources to help make PRES more accessible, as more Urgent Public Health NIHR portfolio studies begin and paused studies restart.

PRES cards which have been sent to Partner Organisation R&D teams, and current PRES resources are still relevant and can be used to help deliver surveys.

If you have any questions or require support providing PRES to research participants, email the CRN NENC Engagement team: NENCCommunications@nihr.ac.uk.