National PPI Festival 2022: PPI Connecting Communities

As event coordinators, the PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway played a pivitol role in National PPI Festival 2022, the first festival of its kind to promote and celebrate the achievements of PPI research in Ireland. The festival reached many new audiences introducing them to PPI for the first time. The energy, commitment and enthusiasm of all involved in PPI was palpable across the very diverse events over the two weeks of activity, generating a ground swell of interest and new followers while showcasing the benefits of effective collaboration between researchers and the public. Click here to view the National PPI Festival 2022 Impact Brochure

10th Oct: National PPI Festival Launch - The first ever National PPI Festival was launched by Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, president of University of Galway, to announce the programme of nationwide events that would take place over October. 

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13th Oct: the FutureCare Programme - FutureCare was officially launched during the National PPI Festival by the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences to promote a new strategic vision for the future of health education, research, and innovation. The new strategy focused on innovation, sustainability, inclusion and partnership. Speaking on the day was Hon. Professor Derek Stewart OBE, a PPI contributor and patient advocate who discussed the importance of the patient perspective when designing future health care. Click here to watch his important contribution.

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15th Oct: PPI Contributors' Gathering, designed by PPI contributors, for PPI contributors - A highlight event at the University of Galway, the PPI Contributors' Gathering saw PPI contributors, members of the public, patients, carers and health and social care members to listen, learn, and share PPI experience to ensure that the involvement of the public and patients in research leads to better and brighter research outcomes. 

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18th Oct: PPI in Medical Device Development - This workshop, with 40 attendess, was the first time that formal PPI training was held for CÚRAM researchers. Facilitated by Claire Riordan, Education and Public Engagement Manager at CÚRAM, Martha Killilea, PPI Ignite @ University of Galway Programme Manager, Derek Stewart, pateint advocate and David Keane, CÚRAM postdoctoral researcher the event focused discussion on how patients can becomes actively involved in the development of medical devices. A separat session held for CÚRAM Funded-Investigators explored tha value of of public and patient involvement along with many of the practical aspects of actively involing the public in CÚRAM's work. 

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20th Oct: An Introduction to PPI for lifETIME CDT PhD Scholars - The first year lifETIME CDT scholars attended a PPI session that focused on introducing public and patient (PPI) involvement in research and developing basic PPI knowledge and skills for the cohort. Sarah Gundy and Martha Killilea delivered this session to an engaged group of early stage PhD students, eager to embed PPI principles and practices within their projects. The close collaboration of these two events demonstrated CÚRAM's commitment to building capacity for PPI across its research community by delivering education, training, and providing support to help researchers understand how to plan for and embed public and patient voice across their research. 

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