User Partnership Group

Background

The NHS research and development strategy is committed to involving members of the public in the work it undertakes, not only as participants in research studies, but also as active collaborators in the research process. In response to this, at the end of 2007 we set up our first user partnership group (UPG).

Aim and Purpose

The aim and purpose of this group is to involve public service users in the research processes that the POG group undertake. Whilst the majority of our work is conducted on patients, in the form of questionnaires and interviews, we also wish to involve the public in the processes of research. By involvement, we envisage that the public will help us by collaborating during key stages of research. For example, public involvement may take the form of having an input in the design of a research project, giving an opinion on research proposals, evaluating information and questionnaire packages, or disseminating the results of our research to wider interest groups.

The Group

Our user group currently meets twice a year to discuss ongoing research projects and to plan future activities of the group. The group consists of 11 service users, who are members of the public with personal experiences of cancer either as patients or carers (or both), and two POG researchers, Alan Liu and Clare Harley.

Get in Touch with Us

If you would like to contact Alan Liu or Clare Harley regarding the User Partnership Group, please e-mail them at the following address: POGUserPartnership@leeds.ac.uk