Link to EAHP Statements

• Section 1 - Introductory Statements and Governance: Statements – 1.3
• Section 4 - Clinical Pharmacy: Statements – 4.8
• Section 6 - Education and Research: Statements – 6.4, 6.5

ACPE UAN: 0475-0000-23-023-L04-P - A knowledge-based activity

Abstract

“No decision about me without me” – patients are experts in their own health or condition, and they make the decisions about using or not using medicines, or health or pharmacy services. Patients live with their condition 365 days in a year but rarely meet hospital pharmacists and use pharmacy services. Research intended to develop or improve pharmacy services offered to patients should be planned together with patients who are users of these services. Involving patients in planning research provides an opportunity to gain a better understanding of their lived experiences, needs, priorities, and beliefs. Patient involvement may significantly improve the research through their input to the study design, delivery and analysis, and ultimately the uptake of the service.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research has developed UK Standards for Public Involvement in Research. The standards recommend empowering patients and fostering their involvement through offering inclusive opportunities, working together, offering support and learning, sharing information that public involvement makes to research, using well-timed and relevant communications, and involving the public in research governance. How can pharmacists carry out pharmacy practice research with patients and the public? How can pharmacists involve patients and the public in research so that they become partners? How can involving patients in research improve the quality of research? In which parts of the research process could patients be involved to provide ‘best’ outcomes?

Learning objectives 

After the session, the participant should be able to: 

• To describe how the lived experience of patients impacts on use of medicines and health services
• To demonstrate why patients should be and how they can be involved in pharmacy practice research to enhance research quality and, ultimately, hospital pharmacy services to patients

Educational need addressed

This session will introduce why and how to involve patients in pharmacy practice research to improve the quality of research and the pharmacy services offered in European hospital pharmacies.

Keywords

Lived experience, patient involvement, clinical pharmacy, patient safety, research