Great Expectations

Building a shared understanding of the role of lay co-applicants in research

Funding bodies are placing greater emphasis on the inclusion of public co-applicants within health and social care research projects. In fact, some applications will not be considered if patient and public representatives have not been included. Co-applicants work alongside professional researchers as part of a research team to develop an application and, if funded, have some responsibility for the management or delivery of a study. Although guidance is available, researchers and co-applicants alike agree that the advice can be difficult to navigate.

With this in mind, key stakeholders came together in May 2021 in Newcastle for a workshop dedicated to exploring the challenges, attitudes to and experiences of working with public co-applicants to develop research proposals, especially within pre-clinical and clinical research. There was recognition from all parties of the complexities of developing an effective research team with public co-applicants integrated into a project from its early stages. It was also recognised that no one way works for all co-applicants and so researchers need to be flexible.

During the workshop, attendees were given the opportunity to discuss all facets of the process, both positive and negative, to uncover learning opportunities for both co-applicants and researchers. It’s clear that some unique challenges arise when co-applicants and professional researchers work together, but five key learning principles were identified:

• Flexibility
• Roles
• Support and training
• Communication is key
• Diversity

The project working group collaborated with Newcastle-based multidisciplinary design company Roots and Wings to create an animation, Great Expectations – Building a shared understanding of the role of lay co-applicants in research, which outlines the key learnings of the workshop. We’re absolutely thrilled with the final creation.

We’d like to thank everyone involved in this project. In particular we’d like to thank everyone who attended the May 2021 workshop and the members of our project working group: Dr Sarah Fahle (BTRU in Donor Health and Genomics), Lucy Kershaw (NHSBT), Dr Joanne Lally (NIHR Research Design Service North East and North Cumbria), Dr Bill Scott (PI of the Project, BTRU in ODT), Roxanne Stirling (BTRU in Donor Health and Genomics), Joan Bedlington (LIVErNorth/BTRU-ODT PPRP), Pamela Denham (BTRU-ODT PPRP) and another member of the BTRU-ODT PPRP. We would also like to thank Engage FMS and The Tilly Hale Fund for their support, Roots and Wings for their amazing work and Jenny Hasenfuss (former BTRU in ODT PPIE Lead) for her dedication and tireless efforts in ensuring the success of the project.