Going beyond co-production: a public contributor led, local evaluation of the National Institute of Health and Social Care (NIHR) Research Champion role

Abstract

Background

The National Institute of Health and Social Care (NIHR) Research Champion (RC) role, has grown over the last few years. This public contributor role was designed to engage and involve patients and the public in health and care research within the NHS. Yet, there has been little focus on how it is working and experienced. Moreover, there is a lack of research that has been initiated, and/or led, by patients and the public.

Aim

To conduct a public contributor led evaluation to understand the experiences and perceived impact of the NIHR RC role that supports NHS research.

Method

A qualitative, formative evaluation using semi-structured interviews.

Results

Rich and detailed data was obtained from 11 RCs and 4 staff members with thematic analysis identifying four main themes: RC Activities, Recruitment and Background of RCs, their Support and Engagement, and the Impact of the RC role.

Conclusions

The RC role is highly valued by both staff and volunteers, and is versatile; it can be adapted to the needs of the research, volunteers, and hosting organisations. There are challenges in recruiting to the role but there are many positives to those that have taken it up. These include giving dedicated time, bringing valuable life experiences and professional skills, and being a meaningful activity for the RCs. Greater awareness and recognition of this role as a valuable resource is needed with more attention and investment required to staff supporting RCs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40900-024-00660-5.

Translated abstract

Aims of the research

To understand how the Research Champion (RC) role is experienced by the volunteers in the role and the staff supporting them.

Background to the research

The RC role is led by the National Institute of Health and Social Care (NIHR), which has developed and received more attention in the last few years. There is little research that has looked at the activities of the RC role as well as how it is being viewed and experienced.

Design

An evaluation project using interviews with questions prepared in advance.

Results

There were four main themes that showed: A wide range of RC activities; Challenges in recruiting RCs but that they brought quality skills to the role; that RCs feel well supported but there could be better ways of engaging them; the positive impact the RC role has on patients, the NHS and themselves.

Patient and public involvement

This evaluation was led by FM as one of the first in England to work in this volunteer role and wished to understand how it was working. CC took an interest in the evaluation as a new RC at the time and joined the project team. With guidance from JH both were involved in most aspects of the evaluation including putting materials into lay language, interviewing participants, coding, theming the data, as well as reviewing drafts of this publication. The wider NHS Trust Research Champions group also reviewed study materials, carried out participant interviews and reviewed manuscript drafts.

Dissemination

Findings are to be shared with all the participants and participating Trusts. Local conference presentation with initial findings have already taken place as well as stakeholder discussions with regional PPI staff leads.