Latest news from Priority Setting Partnerships shared learning group

By Anna-Louise Smith

In 2014, we completed our JLA PSP, which set out to identify the top 10 research priorities for Parkinson’s.  The process itself was a fairly daunting task but the real challenge has been how to take these priorities forward within the funding and research world.

As there are now a significant number of charities which have been through this process we sought to bring together a group to share experiences, successes, problems and advice in taking the next step with their top 10 priorities.

Parkinson’s UK hosted the first ‘shared learning group’ with representatives from eight other charities in July this year to set objectives and discuss how the group should be taken forward.  A representative from the JLA attends the group to join in with our discussions based on her experience of many PSPs, and this will also help the JLA to share learning with other PSPs as they go through the process.

The objectives of the group were agreed to be:

•         Provide a central hub of discussion
•         Share experiences of influencing research funders, including NIHR
•         Identify common priority questions across PSPs, for example anxiety, sleep, nutrition, non-pharmacological therapies
•         Share contacts and best practice
•         Form sub groups to focus on specific areas of interest where appropriate
•         Discuss how to measure and evaluate the impact of PSPs.

Our meeting in September focussed on funding and Anna Tallant, an NIHR research fellow, joined us to discuss their programme remits and ways in which we could work with them.  We have also been in touch with the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility to share the groups’ experiences in order to ensure that there is consistency in the NIHR funding streams and processes.

If your charity has completed a Priority Setting Partnership and would like to express an interest in joining the shared learning group, please contact Anna-Louise Smith at research@parkinsons.org.uk or on 0207 963 9398.  Please note there are limited spaces.