Our programmes of work
Since formally forming the SSHERPa Research and Innovation committees in 2022, we have worked to apply for a range of collaborative research projects with SSHERPa acting as either the lead applicant or as a co-applicant to one of our partner organisations proposals.
SSHERPA Presentation R&I Committees 2023-06
Scope
The SSHERPA Community and Public Engagement programme was funded in November 2022 by NHS England as part of their ‘Research Engagement Network Development’ programme. SSHERPa were successful in securing £99,800 to work with our voluntary and community sector (VCS) partners to reach out to different communities to understand how people can get involved in health and care research. Our funding supported our VCS partners to host ‘World Cafes’ delivered by Staffordshire University, at these meetings we asked members of the public from different community groups, what they understood about research, how they would like to engage in research, how could researchers work with them to design studies that will make a difference to their lives. Over 5 months we engaged with over 70 different community and voluntary groups, and held conversations with 67 individuals. We are starting to build a network of ‘research connectors’; these are organisations or individuals who are willing to be contacted about research and willing to invite researchers to their meetings. We are also looking at the role of Community Research Champion for those individuals who have expressed an interest in getting more involved.
This programme of work has been key in developing relationships over recent months and we hope to apply for additional funding to continue this important work engaging with communities who have been under-served by research.
Touchpoints
This was a proof of principle project, looking to see if ‘touchpoints’ could be used to encourage members of the public to sign up to the NIHR Be Part of Research: Research Volunteer Registry. Touchpoints refers to those moments in time when any member of the public is in contact with the health service.
SSHERPa partners tested the use of GP Check-in Screens and GP Text messaging services as a way to promote the NIHR Be Part of Research programme; as well as using leaflets and posters in practices and in imaging departments in NHS Trusts. Between the months of December to March, 30 General Practices took part in the project, and 3 imaging departments. Our project led to over 11,000 people going to the NIHR Be Part of Research website, and over 2300 clicking through to the ‘Research Volunteer Registry’.
It appears that text messaging was the most cost effective, simplest way of sign posting patients to the website. Check-in screens were a useful aid to help promote the website but are not available in every GP practice. The use of leaflets or posters alone in imaging departments resulted in only 3 clicks to the website. Close collaboration between SSHERPa partners meant we were able to deliver this large programme of work in a very short timescale.
Get Involved
We want to hear from you! We want to engage with people who live in our regions and organisations who work in our region to ensure that our research is designed with, and make a different to, our local population.
By getting involved in research you can make a difference: from helping us design our projects, to taking part in a study, to helping us get the results into practice.
Want to hear more about how your organisation could be part of SSHERPa or if you'd like to have a chat about how you as an individual might get involved in research please contact:
- Helen Duffy (Research and Innovation Programme Manager) helen.duffy@mpft.nhs.uk
- Kitty Clark (Research Administrator) kathryn.clark@mpft.nhs.uk
