PPI Training Sessions for Research staff in 2026

These sessions will be held via Zoom. They are free for NIHR, NHS, academic or charity-funded researchers, students or staff in the UK. Please use a work-related email to register.

Please email cuh.ppi@nhs.net to book your place, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Introduction to PPI for Researchers Weds 12 Aug 10.30 am-12.30 pm

This introductory session covers what PPI is, how it can help research and tips for doing it well. The session also includes one of our CUH PPI Panel members sharing their experiences of getting involved, and a PPI case study from a local researcher.

How to build and maintain PPI groups Thurs 27 Aug 1.00 pm-3.00 pm

Forming a PPI group can be an effective way of involving people in your research. This session looks at the different ways a PPI group can work, how to recruit group members and how to keep them involved throughout the lifecycle of your project. Includes one of our CUH PPI panel members and a researcher who will share their experiences.

PPI Toolkit: Ways to involve the public in research Tues 22 Sept 10.30 am-12.30 pm

This session looks at some of the methods that can be used for PPI to help researchers find ways that might be suitable for their project. The session covers activities that can be used throughout the research cycle, with examples from research taking place on campus.

Avoiding tokenism - supporting meaningful PPI Thurs 8 Oct 1.00 pm-3.00 pm Researchers are routinely advised to avoid ‘tokenism’ or ‘tickbox’ PPIE - but what kinds of attitudes, approaches, actions and activities make public contributors feel valued for their contributions and experience? We will look at practical ways to ensure that PPIE is a meaningful and positive experience for all involved.

Planning Inclusive PPI Weds 28 Oct 9.30 am-12.00 pm

To maximise the impact of PPI and improve research for everyone, we need to involve a diverse range of people and communities. This session encourages participants to think about ways to design inclusive PPI opportunities that work for the communities they wish to involve. We will look at best practice and examples for relationship building, recruitment, planning and follow up.

Evaluating PPI Tues 17 Nov 2.00 pm-4.00 pm

PPI is seen as essential to improving the value and relevance of research - but how can we evaluate the impact that our PPI has had, to know whether it has worked well and how it can be improved in the future? In this session we will look at why traditional evaluation is difficult for PPI, how best to plan for success, and monitoring and recording your impact.

Using PPI to help communicate your research Thurs 10 Dec 10.00 am-11.30 am

Join us for this interactive session as we look at writing for lay audiences, other formats for communication and tools for sharing our research and involvement opportunities. How patients and the public can help write, produce and share information about your research in an accessible way.

Please email cuh.ppi@nhs.net to book your place, and we look forward to seeing you there!