On 24 February, we were delighted to welcome partners and friends to LHP’s second Community Involvement and Engagement (CIE) Network Workshop.  This event was designed to bring together involvement and engagement practitioners from across the NHS/HEI system in the region, to share knowledge and experience, with an opportunity to showcase good practice.   

Focussing on CIE for Living Well (those of working age), this workshop followed the success of our Starting Well event in November 2020, which focussed on considerations when involving and engaging children and young people in research. 

The event was chaired by Dr Stacy Todd, Programme Director for Infection, who opened the programme by welcoming colleagues from Bristol Health Partners.  They shared a case study on training and support for a community to participate meaningfully in digital health and research, using data and online tools for evaluation.  In addition, colleagues from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic shared an overview of their Music and Mental Health programme, an award-winning partnership between one of the city’s cultural icons, with local NHS and social care. 

The workshop also included two interactive sessions, for which we were grateful to receive fantastic support from ARC NWC Public Advisers.  These sessions featured questions from a Public Adviser for LHP Programme Managers as to the future of the network, in addition to breakout groups co-produced and delivered with Public Advisers, looking at research on infection in Liverpool and the opportunities for PPIE.  Both sessions reflected the importance of communication, clarity and co-production of priorities. 

Our keynote speaker was Dr Jeremy Taylor, NIHR Director for Public Voice at the NIHR Centre for Engagement and Dissemination. Jeremy’s presentation included an introduction to NIHR and the new Centre for Engagement and Dissemination, the Centre’s priorities, and plans, in addition to some personal reflections based on 10 months in this role.  This was followed by an excellent question and answer session. 

We were thrilled by the positive feedback generated by the sessions and reminded again of the generosity of our CIE Network, in the willingness to share knowledge and experience to support others in enhancing our commitment to involvement and engagement for this region.  We look forward to continuing to expand and develop the Network, following a third workshop in May 2021 to focus on CIE for Ageing Well.