Authors:

• Dr Harriet Hall, CT2, Homerton University Hospital
• Dr Amelia Paveley, IMT1, Royal United Hospitals Bath
• Both are previous junior clinical fellows in Perioperative Medicine for Older People undergoing Surgery (POPS) at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.

As clinicians, patients are at the heart of what we do. Despite this, patients themselves are often excluded when it comes to designing the healthcare services they will use and the research that will impact their care. 

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) defines public involvement in research (also Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement, or PPIE) as research being carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them.

For older people, exclusion from participation in research can be pronounced. Older adults are a diverse group, from the fit and independent to those living with frailty, complex co-morbidity, physical disability, and sensory or cognitive impairments. Older people are also more likely to be socially isolated and digitally excluded without internet access or digital skills. This diversity means that a one-size-fits-all approach to PPIE in older people falls short.