Helping healthcare professionals share research with patients
Explore our resources to help you share opportunities to take part in research with your patients and build your skills and confidence when talking about research.
- Research
- Publications
- Tools
- All professions
- Complex
- Diagnosis
- End of life
- Maintenance
Why is it important to share research opportunities with your patients?
Parkinson's research needs everyone. People with and without Parkinson's, of every age, gender and ethnicity. The more people who are involved, the faster we’ll get there.
People with Parkinson’s have told us they want to hear more from healthcare professionals about research. You're in a unique position in direct contact with the Parkinson’s community, and can help us improve access to opportunities for people who are currently underrepresented in research.
How can you help?
- Share our research leaflet so your patients are empowered to find research opportunities themselves (available in print and online).
- Sign up for our free Research Support Network to stay up to date with research opportunities for your patients.
- Use our Take Part Hub to find local research opportunities for your patients.
What's in it for you?
- Evidence shows that healthcare organisations that are active in research have better patient care outcomes and a happier workforce.
- Keeping up to date with our Parkinson’s research news and opportunities can support you with decisions to provide the best care.
Annette Hand, Parkinson’s Nurse Consultant and Professor of Nursing
"It's important that we, as healthcare professionals, are not just reserving conversations about research for people who are already putting their hand up to take part.
"We need to actively talk to every patient to make sure every type of person with Parkinson’s is taking part in research and everyone's voice is heard. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to take part."
Support for getting patients involved in research
Our 30-minute online course, Navigating Parkinson's research with your patients, supports you in engaging your patients with Parkinson’s research.
This leaflet is designed as a ’first touch’ research information resource for healthcare professionals to share with patients.
Our Take Part Hub is a place to find research opportunities for your patients. From trialling new treatments to filling in surveys from the comfort of home, there is something to suit everyone.
You and your patients can sign up for our Research Support Network to receive research news, opportunities, and events by email.
The Join Parkinson’s Research registry (JPR@Research+Me)
Designed by researchers in Newcastle with support from a Parkinson's UK Excellence Network grant, the JPR@Research+Me registry will help match people with Parkinson’s with studies that might be suitable for them.
They will be sent information about research opportunities via email and through a regular newsletter. In addition, JPR@Research+Me will send out invitations to register interest in research. This will enable people with Parkinson's to find out whether they may be eligible and allow research teams to reach out to them directly. This will make it easier for everyone to have access to research opportunities.
Help your patients join the registry by following the link below.
Find out more about our Race Equality in Research work
Parkinson’s research will only be effective if everyone is represented in the research process. But right now we know that’s not the case.
We’ve been working to improve representation in Parkinson’s research through our Race Equality in Research project. Discover what we’ve done so far, and how we can work with you to go even further.
Other ways we can support you in research
- Join a Parkinson's Research Interest Group in your area. Our Research Interest Groups are made up of people with Parkinson's and their loved ones, researchers and healthcare professionals. They meet regularly, often online, to discuss and share the latest research and what’s happening locally. Find a Research Interest Group near you.
- Share our research magazine, Progress. Order our latest issue from the Parkinson's UK shop.
- Download a checklist for patients considering research participation. The LEARN Study developed a checklist with previous Parkinson's research participants to help potential participants decide whether or not to take part in a study. Find out more.
- Share a research letter with your patients. We've created a template that you can download, adapt and share with your patients so that they can learn more about research opportunities. Download the Parkinson's service research letter template.
- Request a research speaker. The Parkinson’s UK Research team is happy to provide a research update to your local healthcare team, NHS trust, or board. We can provide presentations online or in person. Complete our request form.
- Share research opportunities across your team. Add a short update to weekly team meetings to ensure the whole team know what opportunities are open to their patients on the Take Part Hub.
Parkinson’s UK is the largest European charitable funder of Parkinson’s research. Find out how to apply for funding to conduct your research project, or how we can support you to find people with Parkinson’s to shape and participate in your research.
For further support and enquiries for you and your patients, contact the Parkinson's UK Research team:
- [email protected]
- 020 7963 3606