The benefits of continuing patient and public involvement as part of a randomised controlled trial during the Covid-19 global pandemic

Patient and public involvement (PPI) in clinical research strengthens the quality and relevance of research, and has been crucial to ensure that researchers continue to investigate relevant and important topics during the global Covid-19 pandemic. The MICE (Mental Health Intervention for Children with Epilepsy) randomised controlled trial relies upon PPI to steer the direction and delivery of the trial, and the PPI Research Advisory Group (RAG) adapted to remote online meetings during the pandemic. This article first describes how the PPI RAG supported the research trial during the course of the pandemic, particularly with key trial stages of recruitment, retention and follow-up. It considers how the PPI tasks were adapted to ensure that they remained meaningful throughout this period, particularly for children and young people. Second, the article explores the acceptability of PPI in research using teleconferencing methods, via a co-produced survey of the PPI group members. Survey results indicated that, while participants valued face-to-face meetings, having remote PPI meetings was preferable to having nothing. There was some suggestion that teleconferencing platforms make it challenging for reserved members of the group, and for children, to contribute. Our findings emphasise the importance of continuing PPI even when circumstances are sub-optimal. We hope that our findings will contribute to the wider conversation about what makes PPI effective, particularly in a digital world.