Over half a million people from across the UK have now signed up to a flagship new ‘research matchmaking service’, called Be Part of Research.
The free online service matches people to suitable health and care studies, based on their interests and where they live.
Be Part of Research is the first UK-wide research volunteer registry covering all health conditions, including public health and social care studies. It’s designed to make it easier for researchers and potential study participants to find each other. It aims to encourage patients, carers, public and staff to find out more about what research is taking place in Health and Social Care and the different ways they might get involved. This could be by sharing information about a study, participating in a study or helping to plan and design a study.
New figures published today show that 528,389 people have registered to Be Part of Research and almost 50,000 people have been recruited to studies through the service, since it launched in July 2022.
The online service is run by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in collaboration with the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
How Be Part of Research matches volunteers to studies
Volunteers sign up using their email address or NHS login - and choose the areas of health and care research that they are interested in. They are then matched to suitable studies based on their interests and location, and sent information on how to take part.
The ‘Be part of Research campaign’ is open to people In Northern Ireland who would be willing to support research as a participant or a partner. To do this, sign-up to research at https://www.bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
Dr Janice Bailie, Assistant Director, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (HSC R&D) at Public Health Agency, is encouraging people to get involved and sign up to this research campaign:
“Public participation in research has helped provide valuable knowledge to help people live healthier and better lives now and in the future. Research helps improve health and social care provided by the HSC and others and also helps advance medicine to find new cures and better treatments for future generations.
I would like to thank all those who make research possible and I encourage others to be part of research across Northern Ireland.”
Almost 50,000 participants recruited via Be Part of Research
Despite over 1 million people taking part in health and care research every year, it is not always easy for researchers to recruit suitable participants to their studies.
Be Part of Research gives researchers and sponsors free and easy access to research-engaged volunteers from across the UK - enabling study teams to recruit suitable participants more quickly and effectively.
The service has already proved highly effective in supporting study recruitment. Almost 50,000 people were recruited through Be Part of Research to 41 different studies - giving an average conversion rate of over 11%.
Be Part of Research identifies suitable volunteers based on age, ethnic group, sex, location and areas of research.
There are 40 studies actively using the service. A further 14 have already used the service and are now closed to recruitment. These range from large-scale interventional studies (including vaccine trials), to lifestyle questionnaires and observational studies.
Find out more
You can find out more about research that is happening in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and opportunities to take part by visiting: https://www.bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
To find out more about which studies can use Be Part of Research and to register your interest in using the service, visit: www.bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/recruit-to-your-study
For more information on HSC R&D, please visit: www.research.hscni.net