It's that time of year again to get your local NHS Trust to enter this year's Health Service Journal (HSJ) 'Progressive Research Culture' Award. This follows the success of last year's award which saw over 40 Trusts enter. Further details from the NIHR CRN CC website. I'm delighted that the nine criteria include these two: - Evidence of … Continue reading HSJ ‘Progressive Research Culture’ Award 2012: Open for entries
public engagement
In 2013 we want every hospital to be doing this on International Clinical Trials Day…
This from the Dorset Echo about Dorset County Hospital's very simple approach to promoting the importance of taking part in clinical trials on International Clinical Trials Day yesterday. Happy to post other examples if people have any.
Details of The Guardian live Q&A on public engagement in research now available
The Guardian has just put up on its website details of the live Q&A about public engagement in research that it is holding at lunchtime on Thursday 24th May (that's this week). Good line-up for the panel and rather excited about it. The link above also includes details of how to follow the discussion live … Continue reading Details of The Guardian live Q&A on public engagement in research now available
Thoughts on public involvement, participation and engagement in research…from Denmark
Those of you who follow me on twitter (and you can do so by clicking on the twitter symbol on the blog), will know that, earlier this week, I was tweeting from Copenhagen in Denmark. Myself and Derek Stewart, Associate Director for PPI at NIHR CRN CC, were there to help launch the Danish Health … Continue reading Thoughts on public involvement, participation and engagement in research…from Denmark
The Academy reports on research regulation…and a reminder of the Guardian’s Q&A about public involvement
The Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) today published its report of the meeting it held a few months ago, looking at progress with improving the regulatory of environment for medical research. I blogged about being a panellist at the meeting as you may recall. The report's conclusions are noteworthy for the second bullet point about public … Continue reading The Academy reports on research regulation…and a reminder of the Guardian’s Q&A about public involvement
We need more than better chat-up lines to increase participation in research
'Pedestrian freight.' It is a term I had not come across until last week. I believe it is the phrase once used inside train companies to describe you and I, the commuters who throng with fortitude through our stations up and down the land every day. Perhaps it still is, I don't know. Such 'internal' phrases can … Continue reading We need more than better chat-up lines to increase participation in research
Exploring the partnership between patients and researchers – photography exhibition at UCH, London.
If you are at a loose end between now and the end of June, then this exhibition at the Street Gallery of University College Hospital looks well worth the visit. Award winning photographer Clare Parks joined forces with researchers and patients to explore their feelings about clinical research in photographs. The images are really quite … Continue reading Exploring the partnership between patients and researchers – photography exhibition at UCH, London.
Health Research Authority (HRA) stocks rise in first public flotation
The word on the street is that yesterday's Health Research Authority (HRA) public and patient involvement workshop - it's first public flotation if I can put it like that - was very successful indeed. That has to be good news. I think we should be encouraged that the team at HRA has barely got its feet under … Continue reading Health Research Authority (HRA) stocks rise in first public flotation
N=1: Defining medicines development and use from a patient perspective
I am not sure what made me think about and look for this report: 'N=1: Why people matter in medicines.' Perhaps it was all the talk last week about the Department of Health's 11th report to parliament on the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) - in essence the way in which drug prices are set … Continue reading N=1: Defining medicines development and use from a patient perspective
NHS research up close and personal: ‘Research People’ site tells the stories behind the story
Returned from half-term leave today thinking that I might write about the latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) patient experience survey. After a while looking at the results I began to think: is there a good reason why there isn't a patient 'out of body experience' survey conducted and published? It might come closer to the … Continue reading NHS research up close and personal: ‘Research People’ site tells the stories behind the story
Research is for life: making research part and parcel of the patient journey
I was very privileged to be asked to give the Furlong Christmas Lecture a few weeks ago. I hope this doesn't seem egotistical but here's the text of that lecture amended with useful links etc - it touches on and rehearses themes that will be familiar to those of you who have visited the blog … Continue reading Research is for life: making research part and parcel of the patient journey
Supertrams, supertramp and day-glo…plus JLA (no, not JLS!) go to number one
I don't know about you but I've taken to asking for a 'double-dip' lottery ticket since yesterday's Autumn Statement. Never has so much hinged on four new trams in Sheffield, who would have thought? But as soft rock band Supertramp famously said in "Put On Your Old Brown Shoes": ''We've got to get away, get … Continue reading Supertrams, supertramp and day-glo…plus JLA (no, not JLS!) go to number one
You cluster if you want to…the single most important translational gap in UK clinical research today
A colleague of mine put up two slides at a meeting today which neatly encapsulated for me the key strategic - perhaps translational gap - in uk clinical research right now. On the demand side, the first showed the key results from the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) commissioned MORI poll of public attitudes … Continue reading You cluster if you want to…the single most important translational gap in UK clinical research today
Canada gets the ‘patient involvement in research’ bug
A few weeks ago I mentioned meeting the Director of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) to discuss public involvement in research. Last night I stumbled on the following announcement by the Canadian Government about the development of a patient-orientated research strategy. Excellent news. I am sure the news has very little to do … Continue reading Canada gets the ‘patient involvement in research’ bug
From I Claudius to iLansley…phone apps in the new NHS
The summer break has clearly done the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, a world of good. From beating a lone path as the libertarian Claudius in the face of a centralised health service, he has resurfaced this week as the man for all seasons to launch a competition for the best ideas for … Continue reading From I Claudius to iLansley…phone apps in the new NHS
Social media leaving doctors and researchers…virtually clinic bound
I suspect this has been picked-up by someone else but an article in the US publication 'Information Week' from 11th July this year provides further data on the rise of social media (twitter, blogs, Facebook etc) as a tool by which patients are seeking and sharing health information. It actually looks at a report by … Continue reading Social media leaving doctors and researchers…virtually clinic bound
Science should take heed of the need to make the public its partners if it wishes to avoid calls for its liberation
At the end of last month the Canadian Government announced that it would be going ahead with clinical trials of a controversial new treatment for MS sufferers called 'liberation therapy.' The decision has gone almost unreported outside Canadian shores and yet for those interested in the relationship between science and its public it is a … Continue reading Science should take heed of the need to make the public its partners if it wishes to avoid calls for its liberation
Exortic science goes kryptonite, perhaps
Today's headline is taken from the menu for my Indian take away last night which talked of 'exortic sauces.' A spelling mistake it might be but I was rather taken with the idea of my curry sauce exorting me to savour its spices. In a similar fashion do I feel the desire to devour all … Continue reading Exortic science goes kryptonite, perhaps
Looking for a bit of drama in your life?
Probably not, I know, particularly if you are Andrew Lansley I suspect. But this is good drama and good for your health. I am delighted that AMRC is going to be part of the following, exciting initiative in public engagement. Read on for the news release (apologies, I know that is a bit lazy of me) … Continue reading Looking for a bit of drama in your life?
It's time to seek out the real citizens in science
Alice Bell has written a good piece today with her reflections on this week's Science and Citizenship conference. Its worth a read and has certainly given me something to ponder over the Christmas holidays. Alice finishes her piece by saying that the public engagement 'industry' - if I can call it that - needs to take a … Continue reading It's time to seek out the real citizens in science