The Patient Experience Research Centre (PERC) is a multidisciplinary group of clinicians, public health specialists and social scientists combining strengths in quantitative and qualitative research methods. We aim to promote active communication between patients, researchers and clinical staff to address real problems, and through this improve the quality of healthcare and the impact of translational research.
PERC was set up in 2011 with start-up funding from the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (Imperial BRC) and project funds from the Imperial Health Charity. We are building on over 25 years of collaborative research by clinical epidemiologist Professor Helen Ward and anthropologist Professor Sophie Day.
About PERC
The Patient Experience Research Centre provides support, advice, education and training to a variety of organisations and individuals.
Support and advice
We offer the following advice and support for researchers and clinical teams:
- Qualitative research methods
- Public involvement for research funding applications and projects
- Policies for public involvement including payment, confidentiality, etc.
- Involving patients and staff in co-design projects
- Focus groups
- Analysis of patient surveys and comments
Contact us about involving patients in your research at: publicinvolvement@imperial.ac.uk.
Education and training
- Short courses and workshops on public involvement for laboratory and clinical researchers.
- Lectures and practical sessions about qualitative and mixed methods research for undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses
Research project supervision
- BSc
- MRes
- MSc/MPH
- PhD
Contact us about research projects supervision at: h.ward@imperial.ac.uk.
Contact us
PERC Director and Co-Founder
Prof. Helen Ward
h.ward@imperial.ac.uk
For enquiries about public involvement in research and research more generally, please email:
publicinvolvement@imperial.ac.uk
Read our blog
All posts- HOPE for Hand Osteoarthritis
- Having an Impact with Public Involvement in Paediatric Intensive Care Research
- Public engagement and involvement at the Cardiomyopathy UK conference: When researchers and the public meet
- Why did nobody ask us?! Reflections and findings from co-produced research into children’s vaccine uptake.
- Three key takeaways from our participation in the Research Engagement Network (REN) community roadshows
- You and Your Health Data: Results of our Great Exhibition Road Festival activity