Getting started

All SPCR Funded projects are expected to work towards meeting the UK Standards for Public Involvement. The standards are a description of what good public involvement looks like and encourage approaches and behaviours that are the hallmark of good public involvement such as flexibility, sharing and learning and respect for each other. We recommend that researchers familiarise themselves with the standards before commencing planning of their involvement activities.

Several organisations, including the NIHR, have also developed comprehensive guidance documents and tools to help researchers plan for, and facilitate, public involvement in their research. Some of these are listed below:

From NIHR:

• Briefing notes for researchers - public involvement in NHS, health and social care research

From SPCR Members:

• University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division – Researchers’ Public Involvement Guidance
• University of Bristol, Centre for Academic Primary Care – Information for Researchers
• University of Exeter, Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx) – Information for Researchers
• University of Manchester – Resources for Researchers 

 From charities:  

• Cancer Research UK - Public involvement toolkit for researchers
• Arthritis UK - Patient and Public Involvement: A researchers guide