Research Inclusion Resources
Research Inclusion guidance and resources for NIHR Manchester BRC colleagues.
Research Inclusion covers patient and public involvement, engagement and participation (PPIEP), equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and inclusive research methods (IRM).
We are committed to delivering on Research Inclusion and addressing this through our PPIE, EDI and IRM work, aligned with our Inclusive Research Oversight Board (IROB). Find out more in this overview.
The definition of Inclusive Research was co-created with researchers, the Black & Asian Research Advisory Group (BRAG) and Vocal (our not-for-profit organisation hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with The University of Manchester) during the first BRC 2017-2022:
“Research that takes deliberate action to meet the health research needs of different people, to address barriers to inclusion and to promote environments where everyone feels included, respected and valued.”
- PPIE: Ensuring patients and people with diverse lived experiences have a say in research.
- EDI: Creating an inclusive culture for our workforce and students.
- IRM: Applying inclusive research methods in translational research.
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)
Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation (PPIEP) is a fundamental pillar in our ambitions to achieve successful and inclusive research.
Our BRC and Manchester CRF joint strategy to embed PPIEP, has been co-created with BRAG, public and community partners and researchers.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
EDI is at the heart of everything we do across Manchester BRC because it is so important in enabling us to deliver our vision to reduce health inequalities and provide personalised health and care for all.
Our EDI Strategy is jointly produced and delivered with the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility (CRF).
Inclusive Research Methods (IRM)
The IRM Team aims to make the ‘invisible, visible’ through inclusive methodologies, evaluation and creating the evidence base. IRM is embedded in everything we do, ensuring our research is inclusive, representative, and leads to equitable health outcomes for all.
The document below outlines the vision to create and promote evidence-based inclusive research methods, targeting areas of greatest need and inequality.
Research Inclusion guidance and resources for colleagues
The following content offers a wide range of national and regional guidance and tools to support our teams in inclusive research practices.
This includes links to training guides, key resources, webinars and case study examples. You can also read the NIHR Research Inclusion Strategy 2022-27.
Research Inclusion Resources
National Guidelines
- Good Clinical Practice: (GCP) is the international standard for conducting clinical research, ensuring the rights, safety, and well-being of research participants are protected.
- Research Governance Guidelines: These guidelines provide a framework for the ethical and scientific quality of research, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Here, you will find information on adhering to ethical standards, maintaining transparency in research and information on planning for research funding applications.
Links to relevant websites and resources
- Funding programmes | NIHR
- Funding opportunities | NIHR
- Research Support Service | NIHR
- Research Support Service EDI Toolkit
- Research inclusion as a condition of funding: researchers and research support staff webinar – NIHR Introductory one-hour webinar held in October 2024
- Research inclusion as a condition of funding – webinar slides
- Research inclusion as a condition of funding– a report from the IRM team
- Inclusive research funding application guidance | NIHR
- NIHR mission to reduce inequalities in health, social care and public health
- NIHR’s aim to become a more inclusive health research funder
Greater Manchester NIHR Infrastructure guidance and exemplars
Collecting data on socio-demographic and economic indicators
The IRM Team recommends using the NIHR workforce diversity questions for monitoring workforce, students and research participants. In this Report on Indicators of Inclusivity in Health Research, we provide guidance for researchers to use for collecting data in their research. View the report here.
Tools available within the report include:
- NIHR workforce questions
- UREC recommended standardised paragraphs for monitoring data
- Qualtrics template for monitoring data
This report also shows 17 socio-demographic and economic indicators and their sub-indicators to consider for inclusive research.
Please see this slide deck as an example of monitoring data used in the Hearing Health research project.
Inclusive Research examples and case studies
- Understanding the current use of equity-informative methods in cost-effectiveness analysis of healthcare interventions
- Hearing Health: indicators for inclusive research
- Differences in prevalence of health conditions being identified in Primary Care across areas of Greater Manchester, Blackpool and Preston: hot and cold spot analysis
- Hot and cold spot analysis report July 2024
- What are the drivers of urgent and emergency care out-of-hours use for less-urgent conditions in Greater Manchester and Lancashire – a qualitative study
- NIHR Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC) with the Inclusive Research Team
- Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: Inclusivity indicators
- Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: Reducing health inequalities
- Developing a qualitative method for community-led research for the Gorton Community Priority Setting Partnership
- The Manchester Measuring Inequalities Toolkit
- Aggregate distributional cost-effectiveness analysis of biologics for rheumatoid arthritis
- Indicators for Inclusivity
- Understanding the factors that influence recruitment to a UK national rheumatology cohort study: a discrete choice experiment
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs provide information about inclusive research and the Inclusive Research Oversight Board (IROB). They describe IROB’s the role and structure of the IROB and how it supports the implementation of inclusive practices within Manchester BRC and Manchester CRF.
Also outlined are IROB’s objectives, tasks, and strategic direction, collaboration with other infrastructure and teams and its focus on training, best practices, and addressing health inequalities. It also details the structure of the IRM team and its members.
Training materials
Training Materials
- To support and enhance your knowledge of inclusive research, a free eLearning module has been produced for the Manchester BRC/CRF by Bella Starling and Vocal. The module draws on case studies and data from Greater Manchester and is relevant for everyone involved in clinical research to help develop and apply an inclusive approach in your own environment. The module is open to all. The module can be completed within one to two hours – this can be done in one session or bite-sized chunks. It can be accessed via The University of Manchester’s online platform, Life Long Learning (search for ‘Inclusive Research’).
- The Manchester Measuring Inequalities Toolkit is designed to help public health professionals, policymakers, researchers, and others assess and identify inequalities. It can be accessed via The University of Manchester’s online platform, Life Long Learning (search for ‘Inclusive Research’).
- Health Inequalities – elearning for healthcare – Health Inequalities Programme
- https://learn.nihr.ac.uk – NIHR advise for staff and students to undertake training available on their portal (account required). This training is available to all, but initial registration is required.
- Webinars are also available on their YouTube channel NIHRtv.
- Core20PLUS5 – an approach to reducing healthcare inequalities – Core20PLUS5 is a national NHS England approach to inform action to reduce healthcare inequalities at both national and system level. The approach defines a target population – the ‘Core20PLUS’ – and identifies ‘5’ focus clinical areas requiring accelerated improvement. Five new e-learning modules are available to support systems in the implementation of Core2PLUS5. These cover narrowing health inequalities in hypertension, early cancer diagnosis, chronic respiratory disease, maternity and severe mental illness. The modules are aimed at anyone with a responsibility or interest in reducing health inequalities. Each module should take around 30 minutes to complete.
Inclusive Research Methods: online drop-in sessions
The IRM Team offer online drop-in sessions on every second Tuesday of the month, with bookable 10–15 minute slots between 2pm and 3pm.
The aim of the sessions is to support researchers with various aspects of inclusive research methods, such as:
- Inclusion at all stages of the research cycle
- Understanding inequalities relevant to specific fields
- Including under-served areas in research
- Justification of sample selection
- Collection of demographic data
- Methods to avoid exclusion
To book a slot, please email: IROB@manchester.ac.uk
PPIE, EDI and IRM contacts and feedback forms
For PPIE, contact Annie Keane:
For EDI, contact Fozia Ahmed:
Inclusive Research Team contacts
- Sheela Medahunsi – Sheela.Medahunsi@manchester.ac.uk
- Arpana Verma – Arpana.verma@manchester.ac.uk
- Katherine Payne – Katherine.payne@manchester.ac.uk
- Mike Benson – Michael.benson@manchester.ac.uk
Each BRC Cluster has a designated member of the IRM team to support activities:
Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics Catalyst Cluster:
Cancer Cluster:
- Contact to follow
Inflammation Cluster:
Under Researched Conditions Cluster:
For HDRC enquiries, please contact
The IR Team is here to help. Whether you have questions, feedback, or are interested in collaborating with us. Please get in touch by completing either the contact or feedback form below.
If you would like to request a Public Health Masters student undertake a literature review, please complete this form