Public involvement in research is an active partnership between the public and researchers in the research process, not simply people being the subjects of research.

The public (PPI Contributors) include patients, potential patients, carers and people who use health services as well as people from organisations that represent people who use services. Other terms for PPI Contributors include PPI representatives, patient advocate, lay researcher, public partner etc

WHY IS PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH IMPORTANT?

PPI Contributors can make a difference to health research by:

• identifying new topics for research and ensuring that topics are relevant to patients, carers and members of the public
• making sure that researchers ask the right questions and in a way that the public understand
• keeping the research on track so that it stays relevant
• making sure the people being researched are approached in the right way
• improving the quality of the research by adding another point of view to the design and way that the research is carried out.