Public engagement

The NIHR engages with and involves patients, carers and the public to improve the reach, quality and impact of research. We do this so that our research can benefit them effectively, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in research that might be suitable for them.

As part of our commitment to widening access to research, we are bringing research to more places where people are already using other services, such as their GP practice or pharmacy.

Public Partnerships service

The Research Delivery Network Public Partnerships service will work together with our Regional Research Delivery Networks to deliver a range of activities aligned with the NIHR Strategic Commitments and NIHR Research Inclusion strategy. This will ensure we engage effectively with patients and the public to support research delivery. Building on programmes of work delivered by the Clinical Research Network, we will: 

  • provide strategic advice and best practice public partnerships training across our Networks
  • work collaboratively with the health and care organisations to expand engagement and outreach activities with communities under-served by research
  • continue to provide services to sponsors and sites to help them improve research recruitment and retention, including the use of national participant experience data
  • seek to embed the public voice across the RDN to ensure meaningful and impactful involvement of public partners and continuous improvement of our services  

Participant in Research Experience Survey (PRES)

The RDN aims to put participant experience at the heart of research delivery. Each year we ask thousands of research participants to share their experiences of taking part in research.

Through the Participant in Research Experience Survey (PRES), we aim to improve the way research studies are designed and delivered, now and in the future.

Services to help people access research

Be Part of Research

Our Be Part of Research service helps members of the public to find and take part in health and care research studies.  Last year over 1 million people took part in health and care research, our service will help more people access and take part in life-changing research.

What’s on offer

You’ll find a range of information that will help patients and the public to discover health and care research, including:

Join Dementia Research

Our Join Dementia Research service is a nationwide service that enables anyone over 18 to register their interest in dementia research. Over 60,000 people have signed up to the service and there have been over 50,000 enrolments in dementia studies.

The service is delivered in partnership with the NIHR and our charity partners: Alzheimer Scotland, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Alzheimer’s Society.

How the service works

Anyone with or without dementia can sign up and you can register on behalf of someone else. You can register online or over the phone.

There’s a variety of studies available for you to take part in - from prevention and treatments to improving quality of life. If you are ‘matched’ to a research study, you choose whether you’d like to take part.