Stroke Rehabilitation Research Partnership Panel

The purpose of this PPI initiative is to establish a dedicated Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) panel of stroke survivors and carers to co-produce future stroke rehabilitation research. Themes of this research include increasing physical activity among non-ambulant stroke survivors and the use of virtual reality technologies for upper limb rehabilitation. Although rehabilitation research increasingly recognises the importance of patient involvement, people with more severe post-stroke disability, particularly those who are unable to walk independently, remain underrepresented in research design. Similarly, while virtual reality technologies show promise for upper limb rehabilitation, there is limited understanding of how stroke survivors perceive these interventions, and what barriers or facilitators influence engagement. This initiative will provide an opportunity for stroke survivors and carers to shape future research design before funding applications are submitted. Establishing an ongoing PPI panel will ensure that future research is relevant, acceptable and feasible for those most affected by stroke. In parallel with establishing the panel, the applicant will undertake formal training in co-design methodologies to strengthen their skills in facilitating meaningful partnerships with people with lived experience. The funding will support the creation of sustainable partnerships with people with lived experience rather than one-off consultation events, embedding meaningful PPI throughout future rehabilitation research.