Finders, Keepers - how to find people for research involvement and keep us interested

These notes are for a #BecandDerek workshop, Finders, Keepers, at Barts for Queen Mary's University London

FINDING PEOPLE - who might want to help enrich research 

Many health researchers have patients or service users. They are well placed to put up a poster or ask people to help. 

One clinician said to us that she sat down and thought about the different places her patients went for tests, checks and appointments and targeted those with leaflets and posters explaining what she wanted and why.

Most GPs have Patient Participation Groups and you will find local contacts - e.g. Camden in London

Many health communities are using Social Media to reach out and show how they are trying to work together. Here is an example for Tower Hamlets

You might want to talk to those who work in the Voluntary Sector. Here is another from Tower Hamlets  and a couple from Camden Voluntary Action and a Volunteer Action Centre 

The closer to the community the more likely you are to find real people. 

However, you may need to look nationally to find the local contacts. You can find a local Healthwatch here.

If you are looking for Self-Help or Support Group search using Self Help UK 

CHARITIES

Charities who help with health research can be a good starting point. Many of them work together and you can most most who are leading on patient involvement are part of the Shared Learning Group  Please use the link only to check if a charity is doing something then contact the charity directly as the group doesn't have the resource to deal with individual enquiries.

REACHING OUT

University College London have produced the  excellent UCL Culture and UCL Partners Guide to working with Voluntary Sector 

East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) have an excellent guide Engaging the Seldom Heard 

You may also want to check out the Centre for BME Health, Leicester 

EAST LONDON

It would be remiss of me not to mention some of my personal favourites in this area.

The wonderful Katie's Team - you can read my earlier post - here.

...and the wonderful Genes and Health East London - previous blog post - here.

And a shout out for @drtomround working in East London who I met again yesterday so you may also want to check out Tower Hamlets CCG

Thank you - @olivia_research @Rohima_Research and @Neeta_Patel1 - always good to work with you.

AS FOR KEEPERS - just watch this space as our participants will be adding their thoughts and advice