We followed some important rules, like making sure everyone involved felt like they were being treated fairly, learning together, working together with different groups, and being honest and open. We found that having patients involved in the design and development really helped us find the right people to take part in our research, make sure we were doing things the right way, and share our findings in a way that made sense to everyone.
Lead author Dr Oscar MacCormac, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
26 November 2024
Why patient and public involvement is crucial to medical research
Incorporating patient and public involvement (PPI) in research is crucial for ensuring the relevance and success of studies, yet it remains significantly underutilised in surgical research.
A recent study conducted by a team of neurosurgeons and researchers from the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, highlights the importance of involving patients and the public in surgical research to make it more relevant and effective.
While including patient voices is common in many areas of medicine, it's rarely used in surgery-focused studies, the research team formed a group called “Science for Tomorrow’s Neurosurgery” to address this gap.
They worked closely with brain surgery patients and patient-focused charities to support studies developing a new imaging technology called ‘hyperspectral imaging’, which aims improve brain surgery by helping surgeons better distinguish healthy from unhealthy tissue.
The group included patients with first-hand experience of neuro-oncology and neuro-vascular surgery, providing a range of perspectives pertinent to the work. This collaborative approach not only helped in recruiting suitable participants but also ensured that the research addressed real patient needs and that findings were shared in a way that made sense to everyone.
Despite its proven benefits, only 1.7% of surgical studies involve patients in this way, compared to nearly 45% in other fields. The research team hope their success story will inspire other surgical teams to adopt similar practices.
PPI in research has gained traction in recent years, particularly as digital health technologies advance. It’s even included in UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) research guidelines and is now a requirement for many research funding bodies yet remains underused in surgery.
By fully integrating PPI, the team have developed recommendations that other surgical researchers can follow, ultimately advancing patient centered care.