Patient Research Experience Survey frequently asked questions

What is it?

The NIHR Clinical Research Network West of England Participant in Research Experience Survey (PRES) is a confidential evaluation of our research and delivery.

It is a High Level Objective (HLO), which means it is one of the primary performance indicators that the Department of Health and Social Care uses to evaluate the impact of the Clinical Research Network.

The survey is confidential, but participants can choose to share their name and email address if they would like to be contacted about any research champion opportunities.

What are the benefits of using PRES?

Feedback from research participants can help your team understand both what you are doing well, and where there are opportunities to make changes to improve the experience of participants taking part in research. In previous years we have also been able to feed back participants’ comments to Chief Investigators, which can influence current and future study design.

Past results have been highly positive, with the vast majority of respondents reporting a good experience of taking part in research. These results can be affirming and motivating for research staff, especially the free text responses where research participants are able to share what they particularly valued about taking part.

PRES can also support you in evidencing that you are involving patients and carers in your research initiatives.

Who should be offered the PRES?

You can use the PRES with participants whose research appointments take place in clinic, as inpatients, or on home visits, as well as those receiving a telephone call, completing online questionnaires or taking part in remote video calls (you can send them the link to the online PRES survey, or a printed survey with a prepaid envelope).

Is PRES suitable for all studies and participants?

PRES may not be suitable for some studies or participants. Studies that are exempt include those where there are concerns over the capacity of the participant to take part in PRES, where studies are a bi-product of a procedure (tissue sampling) or in situations where it is not appropriate to approach a participant e.g. trauma or grief.

The following versions of the PRES are available for children:

Children from 0-6
Children from 7-11
Children from 12-15

Some participants may require accessible or otherwise adapted version of the PRES. Please let us know if this is the case.

Can I send PRES out by email?

Yes, there is an online version that is active and ready to distribute. This can be sent to study participants via email at an appropriate point during their research journey.

The link to the survey is www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WEResearchFeedback.

If sent by email, we suggest the following text:

Dear <Name>,

Thank you for taking part in the <study name> study (IRAS/CPMS Number: <number>) at <site>.

We are inviting you to complete a short survey about your experience of taking part in this study.

You are being asked to complete this survey because you have previously or are currently taking part in research supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which funds and supports research in the NHS as well as public health and social care research.

Part of the role of the NIHR is about making research better so that people like you who take part have the best experience possible. We would value your feedback in this survey to help us do this.

Taking part in the survey is voluntary, you do not have to fill this form in. It generally takes up to five minutes to complete. Your answers will be used anonymously to help improve research. www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WEResearchFeedback

Kind Regards,

<PI, Study Name>

I’ve run out of paper PRES, how do I get more?

If you would like to be sent more paper copies of the PRES, please email our communications team.

We also have posters and business cards with QR codes available that can be requested by email.

Surveys that can’t be linked to a specific study or site won’t count towards the final target. Please make sure to complete the ‘for staff use’ box in advance at the bottom of each paper survey.

Is there any further information available?

We are here to help with any questions - please email our communications team.