Although we rely on members of the public to volunteer to be in our research studies, we also work with members of the public to help shape the kind of research we do and the way we do it. To do this we have established a Public Panel. We consult our panel about the issues that matter to them, so we do research that people value, and we consult our panel about how we do the research and the way we communicate the findings.
The Public Panel is a group of women and men who have had experience of trying to manage their weight – whether efforts to avoid weight gain or to lose weight. We send electronic newsletters with details of new studies, our latest research findings and other news items which may be of interest. We invite members of the Public Panel to comment on future plans for research studies or to join small discussion groups, either in person or by webinar. This is purely voluntary and you are under no obligation to take part in any of these activities. You can choose whether to respond on a case by case basis. Occasionally we may seek people to join the Steering Committee for a new trial. This is a bigger commitment and if you are selected to join this type of group we will compensate you for the time you spend helping us.
You can, of course, withdraw from the Panel at any time and we will delete your details from our database.
Access for researchers
Investigators within the Oxford BRC who wish to seek input from the Public Panel should send a short outline of their plans to the theme coordinator. No individual contact details for participants will be provided but, if the proposal is approved, we will contact them on your behalf.
Contact
If you want to talk to someone about what being a member of the panel involves, please email sarah.morrish@phc.ox.ac.uk