Key definitions from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are listed:
Clinical Research Facility: purpose-built facilities in NHS hospitals where researchers can deliver studies. These studies may be in an early phase (when a researcher is looking at whether something is safe or effective).
Clinical Trial: an experiment to compare the effects of two or more medicines, treatments, or procedures. ‘Clinical trial’ is an umbrella term for a variety of different experiments using different methods.
Engagement: where information and knowledge about research is provided and disseminated to the general public, for example via science festivals, open days, and media. coverage.
Impact: the changes, benefits, and learning gained from the insights and experiences of patients, carers, and the public when working in partnership with researchers and others.
Involvement: an active partnership between public members and researchers in the research process, rather than the use of people as “subjects” or “participants” of research. It is often defined as doing research “with” or “by” members of the public rather than “to”, “about” or “for them”.
Participation: the act of taking part in a research study, for example being recruited to take part in a clinical trial.
At the King’s Clinical Research Facility our participants may be local (from the Southeast London area) or may travel from further away (from across the country or abroad).
Public members: include patients, potential patients, carers, and people who use health and social care services as well as people from organisations that represent people who use services.
Research: discovering new knowledge that could lead to changes in treatments, policies, or care.
