Welcome to the October 2021 edition of Getting Involved in Research from the team at NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) Eastern!
Getting Involved in Research is a monthly newsletter packed with information about the many ways to get involved in research as a patient, research participant and member of the public. If you haven't already signed up to this monthly newsletter and would like to continue to receive it, please let us know by completing the online form linked at the bottom of this page.
If you missed our September edition you can view it by visiting: https://bit.ly/3uZQSQ4.
The Health Research Authority introduce new standards for making research results available to everyone
The Health Research Authority (HRA) has announced that it has implemented changes to national reporting standards for research studies as part of its #MakeItPublic strategy (find out more about #MakeItPublic on the HRA website at https://bit.ly/3oUiC7E).
Researchers are now required to report to the HRA at the end of each study, to show how they have made the results available to research participants. This should include the submission of a lay summary of results for publication on the Health Research Authority website (at https://bit.ly/3lvo4Md).
A lay summary is a brief description of a research project or proposal that has been written for members of the public, rather than for researchers and professionals. It is written in plain English and will explain any technical terms that have to be included.
Research participants in the Eastern region, who completed our Participant in Research Experience Survey, fed back that they didn't know how they would receive the results of the research they took part in. Many of those participants also stated that they are interested in finding out the results of the research and questioned how they can find this information out. The new standard, which is being implemented by the HRA, should help improve how results are provided to participants and the public.
FluCare study team are setting up a Lay Advisory Group
The University of East Anglia (UEA) have recently launched FluCare, an NIHR funded clinical trial that hopes to increase rates of flu vaccination amongst care home staff and they are looking for people to join the Lay Advisory Group. There will be eight meetings during the 32 month study period. Each meeting will be approximately 90 minutes long.
The Lay Advisory Group will be involved in lots of activities, including looking at how we talk to staff about flu vaccinations, looking at the data, helping to write easy to understand documents for the study and designing videos, posters and information sheets to help share the importance of flu vaccines.
The first meeting took place on Thursday 30 September. If you are interested in joining this group please email: Alys.Griffiths@liverpool.ac.uk
As part of CRN Eastern’s ongoing work to look at how research can be delivered in schools, the team are planning to run a focus group with students at the Sprowston Community Academy and Sixth Form in Norwich on Thursday 18 November. The students will be given the opportunity to explore their ideas around research and how we can make it more appealing and accessible to their age group.
The importance of working with children is very topical at the moment with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination in schools. We are keen to demonstrate the importance of research across all ages to ensure research is accessible to all.
We're not the only ones who think it's a good idea to reach out to schools, our research participants do too. Here is a quote from a participant who recently completed the Participant in Research Experience Survey:
“I feel [you should be] promoting the trials more widely, possibly linking up with community/youth groups/schools to gain more participants. I feel more promotion is needed.”
To find out more about research, children and their families can download our free game “Rebo’s Research Adventure!” by visiting https://bit.ly/3AqnqDP.
To find out more about clinical research involving children and young people visit the NIHR’s website for children and young people at https://bit.ly/3mEB0i5. If you are a young person and would like to be involved in research, visit the Generation R website to find out more: https://generationr.org.uk/.
If you have any suggestions on how to reach children and young people and engage with them about research please let us know by contacting donna.coe@nihr.ac.uk.
Universal NHS healthcare: has the pandemic changed the promise?
You are invited to attend an online event by The Cambridge Centre for Health Services Research on Thursday 18 November 2021, between 12.30 - 1.30pm.
With waiting times for non-emergency NHS care increasing and elective surgeries delayed, the NHS looks in danger of becoming an emergency-only service — even post pandemic. Charlotte Augst, Chief Executive of National Voices, an influential charity working to improve the lives of people who live with ill health, disability or impairment, will share her thoughts during this event.
Would you like to become a Public Research Champion?
NIHR Public Research Champions play a vital role in research. They volunteer their time to help spread the word about health and care research to patients and the public, and especially those groups who are currently less likely to take part in research. They also help research and healthcare staff understand more about the experiences of those who take part in research.
If you are interested in becoming a Public Research Champion in your local area you can find out more on the NIHR website at https://bit.ly/3uZiswR. For more information please contact Anne Sykes, Patient and Public Involvement Manager at CRN Eastern, by email at anne.sykes@nihr.ac.uk or telephone her on 01603 287670 for a friendly chat.
An Introduction to Patient Involvement in Brain Injury Research
Next virtual Drop In Session: Wednesday 20 October at 10.30am.
The NIHR Brain Injury MedTech Cooperative (MIC) once again is offering an exciting opportunity for you to get involved in research and to have your say in helping shape future patient involvement on the many projects, workshops and panels that we host.
In order to get involved and have your say, register your interest at involve@brainmic.org whereby further details and log-in instructions will be provided.
Useful Links
Discover the latest opportunities for public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research by visiting the NIHR's People in Research website visit: https://www.peopleinresearch.org/ ──────────
NIHR Evidence is a site that makes research findings accessible and allows you to read overviews of recent research on key topics and themes. To find out more, visit: https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/
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Find out more about health and social care research in the UK by visiting the Be Part of Research website at: https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
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Find out more about getting involved in dementia research by visiting the Join Dementia Research website at: https://www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
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Find free online courses for members of the public from the NIHR hosted on the Future Learn website. The following courses about research are available:
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Got a question? Need more information?
Or is there something you'd like us to include in the bulletin?
Then contact the team, we'd love to hear from you. Email us: crneastern.ppi@nihr.ac.uk. Phone us: 01603 287472 Write to us: PPIE, CRN Eastern, 20 Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1QQ
Would you like to become a Public Research Champion?
Discover the latest opportunities for public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research by visiting the NIHR's People in Research website visit: 
