Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) opportunity

Lay summary

As people live to a greater age there is an increased risk of suffering more than one health condition at a time. Known as multimorbidity this has a serious effect on the daily lives of patients, their families, and their carers. The Multimorbidity Mechanism and Therapeutics Research Collaborative (MMTRC) is a UK wide research project funded for 3 years by the Medical Research Council. The project will examine ways to improve the sequence and patterns of multimorbidity and the evidence obtained will aid the care of patients with multiple health conditions. We will also seek to address the problem of coordinating treatments so that treatment for one condition does not cause difficulties in the treatment of another condition suffered by the same patient. The frequency of this “competition” between health conditions will be established and solutions identified. In doing this we hope to identify medicines that can treat more than one condition and investigate the potential of new uses for existing safe medicines.

The research

Our research will utilise anonymous patient data recorded electronically by the NHS as well as data from genetic studies and clinical trials. We will look across the different types of evidence to check consistency to ensure our recommendations are sound. Where uncertainties remain we will recommend new clinical trials or genetic studies. In this way we hope to improve the outlook for patients, regardless of their particular combinations of health conditions by maximising the benefits from effective treatments. Two patient participants are co-applicants on this project. A Patient and Public interest in MultiMorbidity (PiMM) patient and public advisory group exists to help shape the research process (planning, delivery, dissemination) and monitor progress of the project, and assist in ensuring that the findings from the project are widely disseminated.

Involvement opportunity

This is your opportunity to become part of this ground-breaking research. We are recruiting four new members to join our PiMM group to bring membership up to eleven public contributors. The PiMM group meets quarterly and you may be required to carry out some work outside of these meetings (we estimate this will be around 2-3 days’ work in total). You will be reimbursed for your time and expenses incurred while working on this project in line with NIHR Involvement rates.

Training

UCL will facilitate support and training for patients and the public which will be responsive to PPI members varied needs and requests. Delivery of training will be developed to suit user needs (e.g. a combination of e-learning and face to face workshops).

Application process

To apply, send an expression of interest (EoI) by Friday 17th September 2021 to Natalie Fitzpatrick (PPI manager) via email (n.fitzpatrick@ucl.ac.uk). Applicants should have some experience of multimorbidity, either for yourself or caring for someone with multiple health conditions. Your EoI should outline your relevant experience, the personal skills and qualities you bring that would make you the right person for this role, and your reasons for wishing to take up this opportunity. You should also demonstrate that: 

• You can commit to working with us up to Spring 2024
• You have an enthusiasm for PPI as a means of making health / care research more effective
• You're comfortable working in groups / teams, virtually and face-to-face, and by email
• You're happy working with, editing, and commenting on documents even if long and complex
• You're able to report concisely and effectively on documents, events, and meetings
• You're not afraid to be honest and challenge researchers, of course while being considerate of others

We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ and young people as they are underrepresented within this project at this level. We want the PiMM group to be as diverse as possible and will make reasonable adjustments to suit particular needs. If you wish to apply via another medium such as video or a phone call please let us know well in advance of the closing date.

What happens after you submit your EoI?

Your EoI will be reviewed by the two lay applicants on the project and the PPI Manager. If shortlisted, we will invite you to meet with the interview panel by Zoom or MS Teams during the week commencing 27th September to discuss your application. This won’t be a formal interview but an opportunity for the panel to get an idea of your skills and experiences as well as for you to get to know more about the project. We hope to inform you of the outcome of your application by the end of September.

For more information, please contact Natalie Fitzpatrick (n.fitzpatrick@ucl.ac.uk).