Public Perceptions of the Future of Primary Care: My Experience as a Peer Researcher

By Sadir Mir, Public Contributor, University of Manchester

Getting Involved in Primary Care Research

As a member of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (ARC-GM) Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG), there are lots of amazing things I’ve done in research. I’ve been able to talk to researchers, go to conferences, facilitate workshops and interviews, create documents and resources, been a co-applicant, co-written research papers and attended lots and lots of meetings.

When the opportunity to be involved in the School for Primary Care Research (SPCR 737) project Public perceptions of the future of primary care (led by Jessica Drinkwater et al., University of Manchester) came up in March 2024, I was excited. It felt very familiar to work I’d already done but would allow me to get more involved in conversations specifically around primary care.

The project aimed to work with established public contributors (like me) to develop a new role as peer researchers through co-designing a survey, collecting data, and analysing what the public thinks about the future of primary care.

What Does It Mean to Be a Peer Researcher?

When I first heard the term peer researcher, I didn’t think much of it or expect it to be very different from my previous experiences. At our first meeting, we explored what the role involved and how it differed from being a public contributor.

I quickly realised it was unlike anything I had done before, while still building on my previous experience. The role felt much closer to the research itself and allowed me to be involved in every stage of the project, from design through to analysis.

The in-person workshop was friendly and gave us plenty of time for meaningful discussion, using creative and interactive activities to get the best out of everyone. A particular highlight was enjoying homemade lemon cake, baked by one of the research team, to celebrate our new roles as peer researchers.

Co-Designing a Survey on the Future of Primary Care

Our first task was to create the survey we would later use to collect responses.

Although I had helped design surveys before, I had never been responsible for collecting responses or supporting participants while they completed one. I wanted to help create a survey that was simple and accessible, particularly for the communities I hoped to reach.

My favourite part of the process was testing the survey questions with each other. This helped us understand how participants might experience the questionnaire and whether the questions were clear and manageable.

I was also able to raise practical considerations, including translating the survey for some participants and ensuring good data protection practices while supporting people to complete it. It was a new area for me to contribute to, and I really enjoyed the challenge.

Testing the Survey Before Data Collection

We dedicated an entire session to testing the survey before launching it.

Professional actors helped simulate real-life conversations between peer researchers and participants completing the survey. This gave us the opportunity to visualise what conducting the research would actually feel like and helped us identify areas for improvement.

Together, we refined the questions and developed a flexible process for collecting responses. We also discussed important issues such as explaining the purpose of the research, obtaining informed consent, and ensuring participants understood their rights.

It was equally valuable to openly discuss the challenges we anticipated, including the length of the participant information sheet and the fact that participants couldn't take the survey away to complete later.

Collecting Data with Support from the Research Team

We were given plenty of time to collect survey responses, and one of the biggest positives was the balance between support and independence.

Each peer researcher was paired with a member of the research team who acted as a buddy. They were available by email, phone or message whenever we had questions, and they also checked in with us during and after data collection.

Having that support meant I never felt overwhelmed or underqualified. Instead, I felt trusted to carry out my role confidently while knowing help was always available if I needed it.

Analysing the Findings as Equal Research Partners

Our involvement didn't end with data collection.

We also worked together to analyse the survey responses, which was a first for many of us. We grouped responses into themes and explored how views differed by characteristics such as age, gender and ethnicity.

What struck me most was how rich the data was. Every discussion sparked new ideas about what else we could explore and highlighted opportunities for future research based on what we had collected and observed.

By this stage, we genuinely felt like equal partners within the research team.

Why Peer Researchers Matter in Primary Care Research

The role of peer researcher may still be relatively uncommon, but this project showed just how valuable it can be.

By involving peer researchers throughout the research process, we reached more people, collected richer and more meaningful data, and strengthened relationships between local communities, the university and the research team.

Our experience demonstrated that peer researchers play an important role in making research more equitable, inclusive and relevant. Most importantly, they help ensure research is shaped by and for the people it is ultimately intended to benefit.

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FURTHER LINKS

• SPCR 737 award