Working with people
In order to ensure research reflects real-world priorities, SAPC recognises the need for research not simply to be done about or for patients and members of the public, but with them. Involving people with lived experience means that primary care research remains grounded in the everyday realities of patients and service users.
How PPI makes a difference?
Patient and public involvement can influence the research cycle at many stages. For example, public contributors may highlight previously overlooked problems or emphasise outcomes of importance to service users. PPI can contribute to the design of the research, improving recruitment and retention of studies, ensuring interventions align with routine general practice, and making materials or resources understandable and acceptable to patients. And analysis and interpretation of results can also benefit from new insights, as well as helping results to be disseminated in an accessible form. In doing so, findings are more likely to be implemented and inform policy and practice.
PPI and SAPC
SAPC fosters the embedding of PPI throughout academic primary care research through a number of strategies. PPI is formally represented on the SAPC Executive, to ensure that the patient and public voice is represented across all aspects of the Society’s endeavours.
There is a dedicated Special Interest Group focused on patient and public involvement and participatory research. The work of the SIG includes developing resources for practitioners and researchers, facilitating shared learning between public contributors, clinicians and academics, and promoting participatory research models that better reflect patient and community priorities.
PPI is also actively recognised as part of the events SAPC hosts. The SAPC Annual Scientific Meeting actively encourages presenters to provide details on how patients have been involved in their research and to consider public co-presenters at oral presentations, with workshops and sessions exploring on meaningful involvement of people with lived experience. A number of bursaries are made available annually to support conference attendance by patients and members of the public.
Risk assessment
Decision support tools developed by SAPC members have helped inform NICE-recommended risk stratification for cancer and cardiovascular prevention
Clinical trials
Trials conducted by SAPC members have informed national guidance for a wide range of common conditions, including sore throat, diabetes and high blood pressure
Health service research
Research by SAPC members has provided key insights into how primary care services should be delivered, such as the role of digital technology or continuity of care