Author: Anna Lawrence-Jones

How seldom heard groups are helping us shape our research priorities – learnings so far

Last summer, the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College Health Partners and Imperial College London were successful in being named as one of the five Network Data Labs (NDL) across the UK, funded by the Health Foundation.

This is an extremely exciting opportunity for our partnership. We have the opportunity to work with our local community in North West London to identify research priorities for health and care since COVID-19, and translate those findings into practice – helping to reduce inequalities.

In North West London we are also very fortunate to have access to a linked data set, known as Discover.

Reflecting on our co-produced study with young people with past mental health difficulties

“Please indicate whether your research will include patient and public involvement.” Ticks box.

Rapidly fading are the days when involving patients and the public in research is merely a tokenistic gesture, in favour of meaningful involvement and co-production.

Patient and public involvement (PPI) is research that’s carried out with and by patients, carers and public members, rather than to, for or about them. Co-production takes this one step further; here, researchers work with these individuals throughout the entire project – from start to finish.