We are committed to meaningfully involving patients and the public across all ways of working and activities, and to fostering a research community that is trusted, open, diverse, collaborative and inclusive.
We believe Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) recognises the following:
- Expertise and excellence come in many different forms
- Trust comes when power and influence are distributed as equally as possible
- Better decisions are made when patients and the public are involved from the start, in all areas and at all levels of decision-making
PPI is embedded within our 10-year strategy and Equity, diversity and inclusion strategy, to promote greater inclusion across our organisation.
"It is about getting the right people involved from the beginning to join forces for an end goal. The right people are not just stakeholders and professionals but all people, such as the patients themselves." - Academy PPI programme participant
In 2022, we signed the Shared commitment to public involvement, alongside other leading medical institutions in the UK. This means that we agree to improve the quality of our public involvement activities, across all aspects of the Academy’s work.
We usually refer collectively to the patients, carers and members of the public involved in our work as PPI contributors. This is one choice amongst several possibilities, such as experts-by-experience or patient representatives.
Our work to improve health involves research and shaping policy, both in the UK and internationally.
We build our evidence by working with a range of experts including PPI contributors, Fellows, Academy grant awardees, healthcare workers and industry experts, who guide what we should focus on and what actions need to be taken.
We are creating PPI opportunities in policymaking and research for a broad range of people and disciplines. This is essential for improving the lives of everyone through health research, and for ensuring that researchers ask the questions that patients and the public want answers to.
"When decisions are made without the people affected – they are usually the wrong decisions." Academy PPI contributor
Public involvement at the Academy started with our Brain science, addiction and drugs report (2008). Projects are varied and often take several different forms. This can range from roundtable discussions and workshops that take place over multiple days, to large-scale working group projects that span many months.
“I feel that my ideas and comments have definitely made a difference and have shaped the [Future-proofing UK health research] report” – Academy PPI contributor
Our PPI contributors are invited to join panel discussions, participate in steering groups, and attend project and report launches, with their contributions often acknowledged in our publications. There are also opportunities for PPI contributors to speak at lectures, conferences and even on national news outlets, with support from the Academy.
Watch the video below to hear from Lynn Laidlaw, Patient Observer on the Council of the Academy of Medical Sciences, who shares the principles, values and challenges of PPI:
Public Engagement in Research Programme
