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Article History

Received: 6 February 2019

Accepted: 20 May 2019

First Online: 11 June 2019

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: This paper reports a patient and public involvement project concerning the setting up and evaluation of a service user and carer advisory group. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) INVOLVE organisation advises that “Members of the public actively involved in research are acting as specialist advisors, providing valuable knowledge and expertise based on their experience of a health condition or public health concern. Therefore ethical approval is not needed for the active involvement element of the research (even when people are recruited via the NHS), where people are involved in planning or advising on research, for example helping to develop a protocol, questionnaire or information sheet, being a member of an advisory group or co-applicant.”.Group members who took part in the meetings did so as patient and public involvement partners, and were paid an honorarium for their time. They were given written information about the purpose of the meetings and evaluation as well as verbal explanation and training. Additionally, this manuscript was written in collaboration with members of the group.

: Not applicable.

: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.