Public and Patient Involvement
Against Breast Cancer involve the public and patients as Research Advocates in our grant funding review process and to inform our Research Strategy. This public and patient involvement provides insights into what it is like for those living beyond a breast cancer diagnosis or with metastatic breast cancer. These insights can help to make health research more relevant to the needs of patients, carers and service users.
As members of our Scientific Advisory Board, Research Advocates provide feedback on grant proposals submitted to the charity to ensure that the research we fund is relevant and acceptable to breast cancer patients. This feedback is taken into consideration by the Trustees who make final funding decisions alongside the recommendations of expert scientists.
Research Advocates may also contribute to public relations material produced by the charity in print and online to ensure that communications regarding the research projects are easy to understand and meaningful to our supporters.
In line with the National Institute of Health Research Centre for Engagement and Dissemination group, ‘public’ involvement can include:
- Patients
- Potential Patients
- Carers
- People who use health and social care services
- Organisations that represent those that use services
Our Research Advocates are provided with relevant materials and training as required.