Research Design Service South East (RDS-SE) Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Strategy and Work Plan 2019 -2021

Strategy:

Our purpose is to provide a high quality PPIE service that is coordinated and equitable across the three hubs in our region (Kent, Surrey and Sussex). This requires a team with hub-based advisors equipped to provide specialist PPIE support, and leadership that ensures the service achieves strategic and operational aims. It also requires partnership working with our public partners on our lay panel.

Our specific aims and objectives are:

1. To provide high quality evidence based public involvement support and guidance for RDS-SE clients

1.1 To support RDS-SE clients, and in particular those new to research, to work effectively with members of the public during the project development and design for PPIE to be embedded throughout the project lifetime.

1.2 To support RDS-SE clients in the development of high quality proposals by referring to the national standards and the evidence base for public involvement

1.3 To provide financial support for high quality PPIE activities as part of a funding application

2. To provide resources, support and guidance for RDS-SE staff and public partners to facilitate them in providing high quality advice and reviews

2.1 To ensure support and development of our RDS PPIE team and wider RDS-SE staff enabling them to work effectively with RDS-SE clients, members of the public and local communities, and within the emerging area of social care research.

2.2 To make all training and learning and development resources available and accessible to

our public partners

3. To enable inclusive PPIE reflective of regional research priorities

3.1 To promote an increasingly diverse public involvement community that reflects our local

populations with greatest health, social care and research needs.

3.2 To enhance inclusive opportunities for our public involvement community through

appropriate support and encouragement to work as valued partners within the RDS-SE

infrastructure and with RDS-SE clients.

3.3 To underpin all our PPIE activities with the UK national standards for PPI.

3.4 To monitor impact of PPIE in the RDS-SE by recording RDS-SE client feedback to our

public partners on their input to project design, and consistently reporting RDS-SE

PPIE activity using the UK national standards for PPI as a framework.

4. To enhance the public voice within the governance of RDS-SE

4.1 To facilitate an effective public voice in the governance of RDS-SE.

5. To drive regional PPIE through collaboration and partnership with regional NIHR

partners

5.1 To work with our regional NIHR partners and AHSN to develop collaborative approaches

to PPIE to maximise the potential for PPIE to be developed in a way that is aligned with

NIHR’s goals.

6. To provide an effective contribution to the national RDS PPIE work plan

6.1 To be an active member of the national RDS Public Involvement Community (PI-C), and

effectively contribute to the national RDS PPIE work plan.

6.2 To work closely in partnership with INVOLVE (and then the new NIHR centre for coordinating

patient and public involvement, participation and engagement in research and NIHR

research dissemination activity) to maximise shared learning and evidence of PPIE best

practice and impact across the NIHR and partner organisations.

Work plan for RDS-SE linked to the national RDS PPIE work plan

RDS-SE PPIE objective	Activity	Milestone	Measure of success	Link to UK national PPI standards
1.1 To support RDS-SE clients, and in particular those new to research, to work effectively with members of the public during the project development and design for PPIE to be embedded throughout the project lifetime.	To lead or contribute to the development of outreach events for researchers including a session on PPIE, co-production, community engagement, and social care, co-delivered by RDS-SE PPIE team and public partner.	Two outreach events completed per year	Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in embedding PPIE. Successful Public involvement fund (PIF) applications that reflect the national standards. Positive reviews on PPIE sections of grant applications from pre-submission panel, or from funding feedback when shared by researcher.	Working together. Inclusive opportunities. Support & Learning.
1.2 To support RDS clients to use the National Standards in planning & delivering PPIE activities	To promote the use of the RDS-SE checklist and to refer to the national standards in the PIF and on the RDS-SE website.	Bi-annual review of public involvement applications.	Successful public involvement fund (PIF) applications that reflect the national standards	Working together. Support & Learning.
1.3 To provide financial support for high quality PPIE activities as part of a funding application	To provide high quality written feedback from 1 member of the PPIE team and 2 public partners.	Bi-annual review of public involvement applications	Successful Public involvement fund (PIF) applications that reflect the national standards	Inclusive opportunities.
2.1 To ensure support and development of our RDS PPIE team and wider RDS-SE staff enabling them to work effectively with RDS-SE clients, members of the public and local communities, and within the emerging area of social care research.	Joint CPD programme for research advisers & public partners to include content on public involvement in social care research, community engagement, co-production and the UK PPI national standards. Provide an up to date RDS Handbook with the latest best practice in PI	One CPD event per year per hub	Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in embedding PPIE. PPIE specialist advice given and recorded during individual consultations with clients.	Working together. Inclusive opportunities. Impact.
2.2 To make all training and learning and development resources available and accessible to our public partners	In addition to participation in CPD programme, provide a rolling programme for public partners to include tips and skills for reviewing, & having effective voice in committees and meetings.	Two public partner development sessions per year.	Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in embedding PPIE. Public partners feedback indicating increased understanding and participation in RDS-SE PPI team meetings	Working together. Support & learning. Communications.
3.1 To promote an increasingly diverse public involvement community that reflects our local populations with greatest health, social care and research needs.	Outreach events for researchers including a session on PPIE co-delivered by RDS-SE PPIE team and public partner. Joint CPD programme for research advisers & public partners to include content on public involvement in social care research, community engagement, co-production and the UK PPI national standards. Co-lead a regional PPIE forum underpinned by Sharebank principles	Two events completed per year. One CPD event per year per hub. Regional forum set up 2019. Launch event spring 2020. Three meetings per year.	Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in embedding PPIE. Successful Public involvement fund (PIF) applications post event. that reflect the national standards Positive reviews on PPIE sections of grant applications from pre-submission panel, or from funding feedback when shared by researcher. Number of resources shared (e.g. tools, training). Positive evaluations of joint events run in the region.	Inclusive opportunities.
3.2 To enhance inclusive opportunities for our public involvement community through appropriate support and encouragement to work as valued partners within the RDS-SE infrastructure and with RDS-SE clients.	In addition to participation in CPD programme, provide a rolling programme for public partners to include tips and skills for reviewing, & having effective voice in committees and meetings. Expand the lay panel. Co-lead a regional PPIE forum underpinned by Sharebank principles	Two public partner development sessions per year. Two new lay panel members per year. Regional forum set up 2019. Launch event spring 2020. Three meetings per year.	Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in their role. Increased numbers and regional diversity of lay panel. Number of resources shared (e.g. tools, training). Positive evaluations of joint events run in the region. Increased diversity of public partners.	Support and learning. Inclusive opportunities.
3.3 To underpin all our PPIE activities with the UK national standards for PPI.	Joint CPD programme for research advisers & public partners to include content on public involvement in social care research, community engagement, co-production and the UK PPI national standards. In addition to participation in CPD programme, provide a rolling programme for public partners to include tips and skills for reviewing, & having effective voice in committees and meetings. Reporting of all RDS-SE PPIE activities within the framework of the national standards.	One CPD event per year per hub. PIF application and feedback forms to refer to national standards by end of 2019. Two lay panel development sessions per year. Annual report uses national standards to report impact.	Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in embedding PPIE. Number of researchers demonstrating evidence of consideration of national standards in their PIF application and feedback. Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in their role. Examples of the application & impact of national standards throughout PPIE activities	ALL
3.4 To monitor the impact of PPIE in the RDS-SE by recording client feedback on the difference PPIE activities had on the design of their research and by consistently reporting RDS-SE PPIE activity using the UK national standards for PPI as a framework.	PIF application and feedback forms to refer to national standards. Reporting of all RDS-SE PPIE activities within the framework of the national standards.	PIF application and feedback forms to refer to national standards by end of 2019. Annual report uses national standards to report impact.	Number of researchers demonstrating evidence of consideration of national standards in their PIF application and feedback. Examples of the application & impact of national standards throughout PPIE activities	Impact.
4.1 To facilitate an effective public voice in the governance of RDS-SE.	Rolling programme for public partners to include having effective voice in committees and meetings To invite lay panel members to attend PPI Team hangouts. To review our governance structure and ensure that public voice is facilitated.	Two public contributor development sessions per year. Review undertaken with a lay panel member & completed in year one	Event evaluations indicating increased knowledge & confidence in their role. Public partner feedback indicating increased understanding and participation in RDS-SE governance	Governance.
5.1 To work with our regional NIHR partners and AHSN to develop collaborative approaches to PPIE to maximise the potential for PPIE to be developed in a way that is aligned with NIHR’s goals.	Co-lead a regional PPIE forum underpinned by Sharebank principles.	Regional forum set up 2019. Launch event spring 2020. Three meetings per year.	Number of resources shared (e.g. tools, training). Positive evaluations of joint events run in the region. Increased diversity of public partners.	Inclusive opportunities. Working together
6.1 To be an active member of the national RDS Public Involvement Community (PI-C), and effectively contribute to the national RDS PPIE work plan.	Attendance at PI-C meetings and participation in national work.	All PI-C meetings attended by at least one member of the PPIE team.	Participation in at least one area of national work.	ALL
6.2 To work closely in partnership with INVOLVE (and then the new NIHR centre) to maximise shared learning and evidence of PPIE best practice and impact across the NIHR and partner organisations.	Attendance at PI-C meetings and participation in national work.	All PI-C meetings attended by at least one member of the PPIE team.	Participation in at least one area of national work.	ALL

Resources

The RDS-SE PPIE team is led by Professor Patricia Wilson who is the PPIE Strategic Lead. The team is also supported by an operational lead; presently vacant since the previous holder (Duncan Barron) left earlier in the summer. Dr Julie Hedayioglu is currently acting as operational lead. We also have a 0.4FTE PPIE coordinator who provides administrative support and is the main point of contact for our public partners. Each hub has the equivalent of 0.3 FTE PPIE specialist research advisers. All research advisers have attended CPD sessions on PPIE.

We work in partnership with our lay panel currently comprising 6 public partners. Their main activities are to provide lay reviews of pre-submission grant applications, and applications for the PIF. They receive training and support through our rolling programme (please see work plan), and the operational and strategic leads. We also support 2 independent public partners as lay members of the RDS-SE Advisory Board, who provide a public perspective to the strategic direction of the RDS-SE. They are reimbursed in line with our Lay Panel.

Our annual budget for PPIE activities is £8000. This covers:

· The PIF (we consider applications for £300-400)

· PPIE training and support materials

· Co-hosting of the regional PPIE forum

· Fees and expenses for our public partners.

Partners and collaborators

We have worked closely with our colleagues in the Clinical Research Network to collaborate, share best practice and optimise our PPIE resources. The RDS-SE and KSS-CRN have a statement of collaboration on joint working. Together, we have initiated the development of a regional PPIE Forum, co-produced with RDS-SE and KSS-CRN public partners. We will finalise the terms of reference and working practices Autumn 2019, when we are joined by the new KSS Applied Research Collaboration (ARC). Patricia Wilson is the PPIE lead for the new ARC, and will also lead on a Co-production ARC theme. During the work on the ARC submission, close links have been developed with the KSS Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), and they will also join the regional PPIE Forum. Several parts of our programme of activities and projects will be delivered through collaborative working within this forum, particularly on developing involvement and engagement in social care research. We have also worked with Healthwatch to explore the contribution and ensure benefits for these local organisations to become active members of the forum.

RDS-SE also collaborates with KSS-CRN to support our Young Person’s Advisory Group, through being active partners in the planning of YPAG meetings, and sharing the administrative work to support the group.

Leadership and lines of reporting

As Strategic Lead, Patricia Wilson is a member of the RDS-SE Operational Management Team (OMT), and Strategic Management Team (SMT). She also supports the lay members of our Advisory Board and attends the meetings with them. Key strategic and operational issues are discussed with our lay panel, and their views are fed into the OMT and SMT. The PPIE team hold a virtual monthly meeting to discuss progress and any issues, and feed in views of our Lay Panel and the broader public with whom hub based advisers work with. Within our work plan we will invite members of the lay panel to attend our monthly meeting. We will also co-review with our lay panel the effectiveness of the PPIE strategy and public partner voice in the management and governance of the Service.

Monitoring, review and reporting

Progress on achieving our work plan objectives will be discussed at the monthly PPIE team meeting, and at the OMT and SMT meetings. A report on PPIE activities and progress towards our objectives will be presented at the six monthly RDS-SE Advisory Board. We will also review our progress towards our objectives with our Lay Panel during the training and support rolling programme.

We have adapted the Normalisation Process Theory NoMAD tool to assess how embedded PPIE is within the RDS-SE. We will conduct the NoMAD survey tool with all RDS-SE advisers at the start of the work plan, at 1 year and at 2 years to monitor our progress.

With permission, we have also adapted the East of England CLAHRC PPI feedback tool[1]. We will ask all RDS-SE clients using RDS PPIE specialist input to complete the tool, not only to provide feedback to public partners, but also to capture examples of impact.