Public & patient involvement to guide research in wound care in an Irish context. A round table report

Background: To date, research into interventions to promote wound healing has been led by scientists, clinicians, industry and academics, each with their own particular area of interest. However, the real experts in this area are the people who live with wounds and their families and heretofore their voice has not influenced or shaped the research agenda. Aim: This event aimed to seek patient and carer involvement as experts due to their lived experience in wounds through a partnership approach to identify research priorities and address a lack of patient and carer involvement in wound care research. Methods: A roundtable discussion format guided by the Scottish Health Council Participation Toolkit Supporting Patient Focus and Public Involvement in NHS Scotland was utilised. The Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public 2 – Short Form (GRIPP2-SF) guided the reporting process. Results: Key areas for future research were identified and included; Patients and carers prioritised the establishment of support groups and the development of educational resources. Research priorities that emerged included understanding the impact of wounds, pain management, addressing educational needs and quantifying the financial burden on patients and carers of living with a wound. Conclusions: A key conclusion from this roundtable was that patients and their carers expressed a strong interest in further wound care related public and patient involvement events and identified areas for future research.