Patients, Carers and Public Involvement
Working with patients, carers, and the public is essential to the success of our self-swabbing project.
From the outset, we received input from patient representatives and advisory groups to guide our approach.
Patient and public involvement has been central to this study. The concept of self-swabbing came directly from feedback shared by patients during evaluations, surveys, and interviews about caring for wounds at home. Patients told us they valued staying at home, faced challenges accessing GP appointments, and wanted to be more involved in their recovery.
To explore this further, we surveyed 100 patients at Guy's and St Thomas', with 75% supporting the idea of self-swabbing at home. We also asked 46 patients what they would want included in a self-swabbing kit. While most were comfortable with the concept, some raised concerns about wound contamination or disrupting healing - highlighting the need for clear, patient-friendly instructions.
Our Collaborative Approach
Here we share how we are continuing to work collaboratively with patients on the TREASURE project. We are working closely with patients to co-design the self-swabbing instructions and kit.
Our patient and public involvement (PPI) group meets regularly to review study materials, guide our approach, and support sharing the findings. The group plays a key role in ensuring the study remains focused on what matters to patients.
Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are also central to this work. We are committed to involving underserved, disadvantaged and under-represented patient groups throughout the project to ensure the study is inclusive and relevant to all who may benefit.
Our Co-production Focus Group
The focus group consisted of seven lay members who met on five occasions throughout the project. Discussions were facilitated by the project team and clinical specialists, ensuring that patient and public perspectives were central to the development of the wound swabbing kit contents and instructions
Our PPI Group
Our Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group comprises five public members, supported by a PPI Lead and an EDI Lead. The group helps shape the study by ensuring that patient and public perspectives are embedded throughout. Members review and contribute to patient-facing materials, including participant information and dissemination outputs, and provide input into equality impact assessments to support accessibility, inclusivity and relevance for diverse patient populations.