Patient and Public Involvement

This section of the website provides a framework for building public partnerships in health and social care education and research. The idea of ‘patient supported quality improvement’ in health and social care education and research is not new. However, the context is changing.

"The conversation between patient and clinician is one of the fundamental building blocks of the NHS and yet these interactions are often characterised by an imbalance of power, control and information.” (HSJ; 2010)

Purpose of the Principles

The purpose of the principles is to achieve a greater connection between staff, learners and the public, and to help everyone engage in higher education to do the following:

  • Clarify the characteristics of patient supported quality improvement in education and research;
  • Ensure that staff, learner and public voices are heard and valued;
  • Identify principles for practice;
  • Share emerging best practice and core principles for practice;
  • Provide links to further information, guidance and networks;
  • Contribute to a culture shift that moves public engagement and partnership away from being a tokenistic gesture.

How can the principles be used?

The principles can be used to:

  • Help build capacity for involvement through networks and partnerships between universities and the public (patients, carers, service user led  groups, charities and partner organisations in the statutory and voluntary sector);
  • Build involvement into health and social care research and education from the inception;
  • Consider the design of evaluation to demonstrate the impact and value, of involvement for continual improvement;
  • Consider how involvement is integrated to meet a range of needs;  
  • Share and learn from involvement to facilitate learning and best practice  for sustainability;
  • Develop a more collective voice!