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Patient research ambassadors

What is a patient research ambassadors?

Patient research ambassadors (PRAs) are people who help make health research better by sharing their experiences and ideas. Patient research ambassadors can be patients, carers, or members of the public. Some have taken part in research before, some haven’t. What they all share is a passion for helping more people get involved so treatments and care can improve for everyone.

No experience needed

You do not need medical knowledge or research experience. All you need is interest, enthusiasm, and a willingness to help. You can decide how much time to give, some people join regularly, others for specific projects.

What patient research ambassadors do

Do

  • Share research opportunities: help patients and staff know about studies they can take part in.
  • Bring real-life perspectives: make studies more relevant and useful for patients and communities.
  • Make research easier to understand: improve how research is shared with the public.
  • Connect people and ideas: help researchers, patients, and the community learn from each other.
  • Support better care: help research improve treatments and services.

Flexible and meaningful

As a patient research ambassador, you can take part in activities that match your interests, skills, and availability. This could include helping plan events, giving feedback on study materials, or joining special projects.

Payment (optional)

Patient research ambassadors can be paid for their time according to National Institute for Health and Care Research guidelines, but payment is optional if you prefer to volunteer.

Get involved

Visit our TRAC page to see the full role description and apply. By becoming a patient research ambassador, you can make a real difference in health research and help improve care for everyone.

Spotlight: Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP)

At Grounded Research, we know that research is stronger and more meaningful when shaped by lived experience. Two of our Patient Research Ambassadors, Ian Fairbank and Gary Hellewell, show this through their active involvement in many research projects.

A great example of their impact is the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP), a collaboration between NIHR ARC Yorkshire and Humber, their multimorbidity theme, and the University of Sheffield.

How Ian and Gary Contribute

Through Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP), Ian, Gary, and other members have helped with:

  • social prescribing research during lockdown
  • research priority-setting exercises
  • co-developing and testing a research methods course
  • advising on smoking cessation strategies for people with severe mental illness

This shows how diverse lived experience strengthens research and highlights the vital role Patient Research Ambassadors play in connecting real-world experience to academic studies.

About Ian Fairbank

Ian has been a service user for 45 years. After retiring in 2009, he wanted to give back and joined the Council of Governors at RDaSH. He became involved with Grounded Research from the outset and has been proud to contribute his knowledge and experience.

“By sharing our experiences we support and educate each other, creating a space that values all types of knowledge.”

About Gary Hellewell

Gary has been involved in research since 2016, drawing on his lived experience with mental health and other conditions. Through LEAP, he passes on his experience and knowledge to academics, helping make research more relevant and grounded in real life.

The Impact of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel

The Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) collaboration shows how Patient Research Ambassadors like Ian and Gary help ensure research is:

  • inclusive
  • relevant to the people it affects
  • grounded in lived experience

By spotlighting LEAP, we show the power of lived experience in shaping research and the active role patient research ambassadors play across projects.

Read the full article at Standing Together: Reflections from the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP).

Page last reviewed: November 25, 2025
Next review due: November 25, 2026