Cancer Prevention Group

Patient and Public Involvement

Do I need to have knowledge about research?

No, you do not need to know about how research works. No previous skills, knowledge or experience is required to support us with our research. We will provide you with all the information you need and support you along the way. We can also offer learning, development and training opportunities if desired.

Where will the meetings take place?

Meetings and group discussions may be held virtually or in person. Some tasks won’t need you to join live, for example, reviewing and commenting on documents can be done via email or post. Information about the need to join meetings and their locations will be provided at the time of invitation. If any travel is required, you will be reimbursed.

How much time is needed?

The time commitment will be different for each opportunity. It could be as little as a single one-hour group discussion or it could be regular meetings over a 1 - 2 years.  When you are invited to get involved in something, we will share more information about how much time is needed. You can decide at that time whether or not you have the time to get involved. Choosing not to take part will not affect whether you are invited to future relevant opportunities.

Will I be compensated for my time?

You will be compensated for any time you spend with us in vouchers from a large selection of retailers. The amount will depend on the project, but you will generally receive £15-£25 per hour. Any travel required for a project will also be reimbursed.

Can I choose which projects to be involved in or how involved I want to be?

Each project or opportunity in the CPG will have a different focus and will want to involve patients and members of the public with relevant lived experience and perspectives. For example, a project evaluating a prostate cancer screening programme will look to involve people with prostates. Another project looking at the acceptability of a cancer screening blood test may be interested in involving people without prior cancer experience.

As the projects are looking for people with specific experiences or backgrounds, you won’t be able to choose which projects to be involved in. Instead, we will reach out to people using your preferred method of communication according to the information you provide in the Expression of Interest form. We will try our best to invite as many people that express interest as possible.

When you are invited to get involved, we will provide information about the opportunity, the activities to expect (e.g. meetings, group discussions, input on documents, etc), the time commitment to expect, and the length of the involvement (e.g. hours, weeks or months). At this time you can decide whether or not to be involved. The role is voluntary, and you can decide to stop being involved at any time. Choosing not to be involved will not affect whether you are invited to future opportunities.

What if I want to leave after getting involved?

Each opportunity is completely voluntary. You can take part for as long as you want to or are able to. Sharing your information is completely voluntary and you can ask to be removed from the database at any time by contacting our PPI coordinator via email: CPG-PPI@kcl.ac.uk.

Will my details be stored confidentially?

Your personal details will be stored in line with GDPR & the Data Protection Act securely on our database. We respect and value your confidentiality and access will be restricted to team members who have received information governance training and on a ‘need to know’ basis.

Who will have access to my information and data?

Only staff members that have a legitimate need for their research at the Cancer Prevention Group will have direct access to your information. Your contact details will not be shared with third parties, and will be stored securely and confidentially in line with GDPR & the Data Protection Act 2018.