The Trans-Humber Consumer Research Panel, formerly known as the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Consumer Research Panel, was a patient advocacy group in the north of England which had the aim of representing the views of health consumers (patients and carers) at all stages of the medical research process (from hypothesis generation, through clinical trial management to the dissemination of results) [1].
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Aims
Public and patient involvement in healthcare research is seen as important because "greater public involvement can lead to better research and clearer health outcomes, and can save money. A recent study ... reported that public involvement in research helps increase recruitment to all types of research. In clinical research it helped to ensure acceptability of trials, and participants felt them to be ethical, well designed and to have relevant outcome measures. It was also found to be of value in qualitative research where participants are asked to share their views and experiences." [2].
The motto of the panel was Promoting public and professional partnership in medical research.
History
It was formed in December 2004.
Structure
The geographical scope of the panel encompassed East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, and meetings were held in Kingston upon Hull.
The panel was run on a voluntary basis and had strong working relationships with medical researchers at The University of Hull, the Hull York Medical School, and within the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and the Humber and Yorkshire Coast Cancer Research Network [3].