Abstract LB-60: A Local Consumer Research Panel's Role in the work of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in the U.K

Abstract

Abstract The poster explains how patient advocacy fits into the world of health research, the relationship between research networks, and how research is planned at both the national and local levels in the United Kingdom. It describes the role of a local consumer research panel in helping to enhance research for maximum patient benefit. David Ardon has been a member and chair of a local panel for eight years and of the national consumer research group for seven years. The poster explains where in the research cycle patients and caregivers have been active, demonstrating the logos of local and national research organizations, and in diagrammatic form, showing the kind of activities that a consumer researcher tackles. The North Trent Cancer Research Network Consumer Research Panel was established in 2001 by the Academic Unit of Supportive Care at the University of Sheffield. North Trent is an area in the North East Midlands of England. The panel works alongside and is a constituent of the National Cancer Research Institute Consumer Liaison Group. The panel, composed of 40 past and current cancer patients and caregivers, is funded by the North Trent Cancer Network and the South Yorkshire CLRN to provide a consumer perspective at strategic meetings within North Trent and for individual research studies within the network. The panel has hosted and led ten conferences aimed at raising awareness of clinical research. The objective of the panel is to improve the quality of communication and information exchange between health care professionals, patients, and caregivers by providing a consumer perspective at all stages of cancer research and clinical trials. The governing body of health research in the U.K. is the National Institute for Health Research, which monitors eight research areas, one of which is cancer. Cancer research is governed and managed by the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), and the National Cancer Research Network (NCRN). Health research locally is delivered by a Comprehensive Local Research Network (CLRN). Mr. Ardon's local CLRN is the South Yorkshire CLRN, and this group includes the North Trent Cancer Research Network. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-60. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-LB-60