The new collection features more than 80 resources, including guidance, books, podcasts, training, websites, toolkits and events, all of which are designed to support public involvement in research.

The involvement resources have been produced by a range of research organisations, including NIHR ARCs South London, ARC West, ARC Yorkshire & Humber, NIHR Biomedical Research Centres, King’s Improvement Science as well as universities, health charities and community organisations.

Covering essential aspects of involvement in research  

The resources cover essential aspects of involvement in research including:

  • approaches to co-producing research with the public, patients and service users
  • advice for involving Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, young people, and other groups underrepresented in research
  • good practice in relation to payment of members of the public involved in research 
  • tips on inclusive language
  • information for service users, carers and community members wishing to develop their research knowledge and skills
  • guides to evaluating research and research ethics
  • resources on how to implement research into practice.

Savi Hensman, ARC South London’s patient, service user, carer and public involvement coordinator, who worked on the collection, says: “We wanted to help people to carry out effective involvement in research by bringing together some of amazing existing knowledge and guidance available, into one place. We know that involving diverse people with relevant lived experience in research can play an important part in addressing some of the burning health and social issues affecting many people today. We hope this collection of resources will support and inspire new public involvement.”

So pleased these resources are available and will make great difference

Hameed Khan, public involvement member, ARC South London

Very much needed to be able to find the right resource of so many out there

Mary Newburn, patient and public involvement and engagement lead, ARC South London’s maternity and perinatal mental health theme

Supporting patient and public involvement in research

The resources selected by the ARC implementation and involvement team are suitable for public contributors, researchers or anyone wanting to support public involvement in research.  

They have been grouped by theme. The team have indicated what the resource is, who it is designed for and have given a summary of what it contains.

For people who are new to research or involvement or looking for key information, the team have also brought together a set of introductory resources.   

Download the involvement resources collection

Please download the PDF before accessing the links. 

Find out more

If you have suggestions on resources that we should include, or would prefer to receive the resources in a format other than PDF, please email Savi Hensman at: savitri.hensman@kcl.ac.uk 

The development of the collection was led by Savi Hensman and Sophie Lowry, both members of ARC South London’s implementation and involvement team, with the support of the ARC's communications team.