The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has launched a new Centre for Engagement and Dissemination that brings activities in patient and public involvement, engagement and participation with its strengths in research dissemination under the same roof.
The new Centre will lead NIHR’s work to make health and care research “representative, relevant and ready for use”, building on the work of the NIHR Dissemination Centre and NIHR INVOLVE.
It will further boost the “strong collaborative culture already established in engaging with patients, service users, carers and the public across the NIHR, providing coordination and thought leadership across the health and care system,” the Institute said.
The new Centre will focus on four core areas of activity:
- Learning and capacity development for public and patient contributors, public contribution leads, researchers and evidence users
- Building and stimulating an evidence user community
- Producing accessible and audience-targeted evidence resources and sharing them across a broad stakeholder community
- Running a series of innovation projects to harness the best engagement and dissemination ideas coming from the community.
These activities will be underpinned by engaging with patients, care users and the public throughout – as individuals, groups or communities.
“I believe that bringing together NIHR’s research dissemination activities with its leading role in patient and community engagement will help ensure that we strengthen the way research serves the needs of patients and those of the health and care system,” noted Dr Louise Wood CBE, director of Science, Research and Evidence at the Department of Health and Social Care.
“By working together with individuals, groups and communities across the health and care system, we will maximise the relevance, reach and impact of our research.”
The Centre will be led by the new NIHR director for Public Voice, Jeremy Taylor OBE, a former researcher, civil servant and charity leader.
“There has never been a more important time for health and care research to be shaped by what matters to people and to be translated into action that improves and sustains health and care. I am delighted to be joining the NIHR to lead the new Centre and this vital work,” he said.
