Bec Hanley

Bec Hanley has spent the past twenty five years working to promote the involvement of people who use services in health care and health research.  She was the founding director of the NIHR INVOLVE Coordinating Centre (now the Centre for Engagement and Dissemination). She has worked with a range of UK national charities to support the development of patient and public involvement (PPI) in research, including the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Epilepsy Research UK and Parkinson’s UK; with the NHS at a local, regional and national level; and with research organisations in the United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland.  She has a particular interest in clinical trials, and works as an adviser to the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit on PPI. 

Bec set up and facilitates the Charities Research Involvement Group, a grouping of over 40 UK based charities with a commitment to PPI in research. Together they have published guidance on supporting PPI in pharma led research and on PPI in lab based research. They have also developed training for researchers about PPI.