We believe that public involvement is pivotal to improve research quality. We strongly encourage the Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation (PPIEP) to offer different possibilities to get involved in our activities.
You may be interested to join our PPIEP group ENGAGE, volunteer as a participant in our research, or get a work experience at the Oxford cognitive health Clinical Research Facility.
► ENGAGE
ENGAGE is our Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation (PPIEP) group. The group is composed of members of the public, research assistants, nurses, and medics. We meet regularly every two months, but this can change based on availability or necessity. We usually held in-person meetings at the CRF, but during the COVID-19 pandemic this was not possible, and we held virtual meetings instead.
The aim of our group is to improve the experience of research participants, developing a friendly and comfortable environment.
Our goals are:
- Gathering feedback from participants on their experience.
- Improving communications with participants during and after their experience.
- Expanding our recruitment strategy aiming at a diverse and representative sample.
- Improving the CRF accessibility for people with physical or cognitive difficulties.
If you are interested in helping us, you can find more information here or contact us at oxfordhealth.CRF@nhs.net.
You can find more information on PPI groups on our dedicated page.
► Taking part in research
We run several types of studies on mental and cognitive health. These may involve members of the public with or without a specific disorder or diagnosis.
If you are interested in taking part in research, please look at our dedicated page.
If you took part in our research and want to give us feedback, complete our online questionnaire.
What people say about us
Data from the NIHR TVSM CRN participant feedback for 2020/2021, including 410 people participating in the NOVAVAX TRIAL, shows that:
- 96% said the information they received before taking part prepared them for their experience on the study
- 98% said the researchers had valued their taking part in the research
- 97% would consider taking part in research again
“I have found everyone working on this research to be friendly and kind. It has been a very positive experience and I have really enjoyed taking part”
“I felt and was encouraged to feel that my contribution to research was valued and valuable”
► For students and trainees
We host medical and nursing students to promote knowledge of clinical trials and how they provide the evidence base that underpins front-line clinical work.
We also offer to national and international medical trainees to spend a period during their training at our site, supporting their development in the clinical and research field.
The CRF represents a unique opportunity to get involved in both research delivery and clinical commitment.
If you are a student and you would like to come to the CRF, please contact us at oxfordhealth.CRF@nhs.net and ask to get in touch with our Student Lead.
► Thames Valley Nurse Cadets programme
The programme gives young people aged 16-19 years old their first step into working in a healthcare setting with a clear path to further career development, aiming to grow the next generation of healthcare professionals.
At Oxford Health the cadets join the trust on a Band 2 senior healthcare worker apprenticeship programme, which consists of four days of working and one day of studying per week.
After a two-year course, the cadet can choose to become a Band 3 health care assistant, proceed to a further two-year nursing associate training or move on to study for a degree to qualify as a registered nurse. Every cadet who completes the programme is guaranteed an interview for a healthcare assistant role – and an interview at a university if they wish to continue with their studies towards nursing registration.
Find more details here.
