Below is a case study of PPI contributor, Noel Wilson, on how he became involved in PPI work with HSC R&D Division.
Noel Wilson first became involved in health research through a former work colleague who contacted him about her daughter's PhD on oral health and nutrition called the DENHAB project:
Research in oral health was of special interest to Noel, given his personal experience in this area. Since then, his learning from dental practice treatment research has further progressed through becoming involved in other research studies. Noel continues to be involved in dental research work to this day, for example, one study he supports is to improve oral health in care homes, called SENIOR: ‘uSing rolE-substitutioN In care homes to improve ORal health’, another is the CHOICE Project, where he sits on their Trials Steering Committee.
Noel has a strong belief in supporting Personal and Public Involvement (PPI). Since 2019, he has been involved in Health and Social Care Research and Development (HSC R&D) Division’s PPI Group, called ‘Public Involvement Enhancing Research’, Northern Ireland (PIER NI). This association arose from informal discussions with Dr Gail Johnston, former PPI Lead in HSC R&D, whilst attending a conference on cancer research. The purpose of PIER NI is to help the HSC R&D Division with implementing PPI in its decision-making processes and to raise awareness of the benefits of PPI in research among HSC researchers and the wider public.
Being involved in PPI activity is wide-ranging for Noel. He engages in meetings, where there is frequently a section devoted to a relevant PPI topic as a training opportunity. Some of his PPI activity involves reading and commenting on draft documentation, providing feedback on anything from a Participant Information Sheet, a Systematic Review to reviewing ethics or protocols documents. Noel has also engaged in the selection procedures for a staff appointment and taken opportunities to attend other events brought to PIER members attention.
He is also involved in Service User support meetings with Psychological Therapies Services staff within the Antrim, Ballymoney, Magherafelt and Cookstown (ABMC) region of the Northern Trust and attended several of their Recovery College courses, obtaining in 2020, a qualification in “Understanding Advocacy”.
Noel’s keen interest in helping support research involving young people saw him engaging with a National Lottery funded group that sought to empower its participants and develop their resilience. The research, as part of his Masters course, examined the effectiveness of a self-referral programme for ‘At Risk’ young people, seeking to empower its participants, to become successful and confident adults. His research on the project’s approach to transforming the lives of young people awaits publication as a paper titled “Give us a Chance and we can Lead Successful Lives”: A Pathway to Success for Marginalised Young People.
Noel’s invaluable input to HSC R&D is something he very much enjoys. One activity Noel has undertaken for the past four years has been participating in the Public Health Agency’s Doctoral Fellowship Awards scheme. This activity includes shortlisting of applicants and participating in the interview process where his role is to assess the PPI component based on his experience as a Service User.
With his wealth of career experience in supporting research and his continuing involvement in this work, Noel undertook a ‘Getting Involved In Research’ course to further his passion. He then studied for and completed a Master of Science degree in Co-production and Development of Social Care Research and was awarded a Distinction in 2024. From this, Noel received an award for his Research Methods module at the 11th Social Work and Social Care Research Practice Conference: https://research.hscni.net/congratulations-our-pier-colleague-noel-wilso...
Enabling others is at the heart of Noel’s life’s experience and he strongly values the importance of PPI:
“Listening to and engaging with the research community is not only informative but allows one to promote the important role of the public and patients in the formulation of research projects. The opportunity to be an advocate for the better good of society is rewarding.”
“Throughout various research engagements, I’ve always encountered a strong positive emphasis on user involvement and researchers’ willingness to engage Service Users as equals.”
For those with an interest in wellbeing and in the greater good of our wider community, the opportunity to support our research community in its endeavours is a valuable activity. Learning about and contributing to their varied fields of research is something that I fully endorse. My experiences are the mere tip of the iceberg in terms of the wider range of support roles that are available.
"The diversity of opportunities available to Service Users wishing to participate in PPI is vast; why not consider offering your experiences for the benefit of our wider society?”
Visit: https://research.hscni.net/pier-ni-public-involvement-enhancing-research