Patient and Public Involvement

Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) is an approach to carrying out research that involves the active participation of patients, carers, and the general public in healthcare decision-making, research, service design, and policy development. At Heriot-Watt, we work directly with a variety of individuals from outside of the University to meaningfully shape research and make it more relevant and impactful.

Involvement empowers individuals to contribute their insights into what matters most to them and the wider community. This insight can guide improvements in healthcare delivery and research relevance, ensuring that services are patient-centered.

PPIE can take place in various formats, from consultations and focus groups to more formal and ongoing roles on decision-making panels and steering committees. Such involvement is crucial in creating research outcomes that truly meet the needs of those they serve.

Our ‘North Star’ is to involve the general public as early as possible in the research process. To this end, we will be setting up our own Citizen Advisory Network as well as exploring partnerships with other organisations to expand our reach with underserved communities. 

Why PPI Is Important:

Improved Outcomes: Including patients’ perspectives can lead to services and research that are more closely aligned with the needs and preferences of the people they aim to help. This results in better health outcomes.

Relevance and Quality: Research informed by patient involvement is more likely to be relevant to real-world challenges and address concerns that are important to the populations of interest.

Equity and Inclusiveness: PPIE helps ensure that diverse voices are heard, fostering healthcare systems and research that are inclusive and reflective of a broader range of experiences, including typically underserved communities.

Transparency and Accountability: When patients and the public are involved, there’s a higher level of transparency in decision-making processes, helping build trust in the healthcare system and the research process.

If you would like to be involved in our patient and public involvement activities, contact Engage@hw.ac.uk.