The Inaugural RCSI Public and Patient (PPI) Awards took place on RCSI Annual Research day on 9th March 2022 to recognise and award research teams who have embedded high quality PPI in their research. There was a high level of interest in these awards and a large volume of applications were received, screened, shortlisted and subsequently assessed a selection panel had in depth knowledge of PPI and an appreciation of the medical and health sciences research conducted at RCSI University.
The judges were Dr Avril Kennan, CEO Health Research Charities Ireland (HRCI) and RCSI PPI in Research Advisory Committee Member; Nuala Ryan, IPPOSI Graduate Patient Expert and RCSI FutureNeuro PPI Advisory Panel Member; and Lorna Kerin, Manager RCSI Public Patient Involvement in Research.
Adapted UK Standards for Public Involvement were used as assessment criteria including:
1. Inclusive Opportunities – Involvement of patients in decision-making and ongoing involvement of patients throughout the project
2. Ways of Working Together – Evidence of working together where contributions of all partners is recognised / respected/ valued; evidence of shared decision making; and involvement of patients on governance / management groups
3. Support and Learning – Evidence of supports / resources to support learning and development opportunities for the PPI collaborators, the public & the researchers
4. Communication – Evidence of appropriate communication methods to meet the needs of different stakeholders; Appropriate dissemination to the wider audiences (scientific, patient & public).
5. Intended Impact – Clear evaluation plan & evidence of intended PPI impact
Due to the high quality of submissions received, two outstanding research teams tied for the Inaugural PPI in Research prize. These were
‘Working alongside experts by experience: Mental health/well-being of older people during COVID-19’ led Dr Viveka Guzman (SPHeRE PHD Scholar) in collaboration with PPI Collaborators: Peter Craven; Noelene Crowe; Gerald Hegarty; Ailbhe Smith; Penelope Wilson . The Academic Supervisors are Dr Maria Pertl (RCSI); Dr Frank Doyle (RCSI); Dr Ronan Foley (MU)
And ‘Exploring the experience and impact of PPI in the co-designed stroke doctoral research programme iPASTAR’ – led byDeirdre McCartan, Patricia Hall; Clare Fitzgerald; Geraldine O’Callaghan (SPHeRE PhD Scholars) in collaboration with iPASTAR Project Champions (PPI Partners): Clíodhna Ní Bhroin; Philip Osborne; Martin Fahy; Julianne Hickey; Sigrid O’Meara; Mary Scullion and 10 additional people with stroke experience as the wider PPI partners. The iPASTAR Academic Supervisors: Prof David Williams (RCSI); Prof Frances Horgan (RCSI); Prof Anne Hickey (RCSI); Prof Jan Sorensen (RCSI); Prof Thilo Kroll (UCD); Dr Olive Lennon (UCD). See http://ipastar.eu/
RCSI PPI in Research Manager Lorna Kerin comments: “The annual awards are a wonderful platform to highlight PPI at an institutional level incentive and to inspire the academic research community by the high quality of Public Patient Involvement in Research that colleagues are leading on. The presence of PPI Collaborators at these awards was particularly significant, evidencing the genuine collaboration on the research teams.”
Shortlisted researchers for the Inaugural RCSI PPI in Research Annual Award
| Lead Investigator | Supervisor(s) | Topic |
| Dr Catherine Moran | Prof Anne Hickey | Maximising the quality of stroke care in Ireland –
Development of a national stroke audit |
| Dr Niamh Arthurs | Dr Grace O’Kelly | Building Capacity for Child and Adolescent Obesity in Ireland –
Sláintecare Project Outcomes to Date |
| Dr Viveka Guzman | Dr Maria Pertl; Dr Frank Doyle;
Dr Ronan Foley |
Working alongside experts by experience:
Mental health/well-being of older people during COVID-19 |
| Dr Padraig Carroll | Dr Michelle Flood | Patient and Public Involvement in Preclinical Spinal Cord Research |
| Dr Deirdre McCartan | Prof Frances Horgan | Exploring the experience and impact of PPI in the co-designed
stroke doctoral research programme iPASTAR |