Involving patients and citizens: I Statements for research and innovation

The Accelerated Access Review was established to speed up access to innovative products for NHS patients. National Voices was invited to provide advice on how patients and citizens should be involved, and Hilary Newiss, chair of National Voices, acted as patient champion in the review.  

The processes of research and innovation in health can be complex, opaque, and are driven by a mix of scientific, commercial and regulatory factors that do not necessarily align with what really matters to people. National Voices’ aim was to bring real people and ‘what matters’ into the heart of innovation.  We worked with patients, patient organisations and charities, research organisers and central government to develop a clear and shared view of how this should be done.

The result is a set of ‘I Statements’. They set out patient and citizen expectations, and can be used by those involved in research and innovation to help meet these expectations. They set a standard for what ‘good’ looks and feels like.

Read Hilary's blog, 'What should government do to ensure access to medicines?'.