On Friday 2 February 2018, stakeholders from across the South London National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) gathered for their annual meeting at St Thomas’ Hall, London. Following a ‘marketplace’ of stalls for networking with colleagues including INVOLVE, the Biomedical Research Council at Guy’s at St Thomas, and the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC), the Research Design Service, and many more, the event was introduced by Profession Andrew Shennan (OBE; Clinical Director of the CRN South London).

In line with the theme of ‘Enhancing Research Delivery’, innovations were highlighted across the CRN South London. This ranged from exciting developments in research capacity in the emergency department at St George’s (Professor Heather Jarman), to the set-up of an innovative patient and public involvement group specific to research into Parkinson’s disease at King’s College London (Professor K Ray Chaudhuri).

The final event of the afternoon was the presentation of the inaugural CRN South London Research awards. Here, the patient and public involvement (PPI) work at the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King’s College London, was recognised within two categories:

Innovation Award (winners):  First, the team behind the Cicely Saunders Institute online forum for PPI (www.csipublicinvolvement.co.uk) were winners of the ‘Innovation Award’, acknowledging the development of this online platform for PPI and its impact on improved research delivery. The forum now has around 90 members, including researchers, patients, carers, and members of the public, and dialogue within this online forum have led to improved research proposals, materials, and involvement of PPI members in research at the Institute.

Significant Contribution to Activities Supporting Research (shortlisted): Second, contributions from PPI members Sylvia Bailey and Pam Smith were recognised in the shortlist for the award for ‘Significant Contribution to Activities Supporting Research’. Sylvia and Pam were commended for their contributions to the PPI Strategy Group at the Cicely Saunders Institute, which oversees PPI activity across the Institute. Within this role they have co-authored the Institute’s first PPI Strategy for 2017-2020, assisted with design and implementation of public engagement events, and encouraged other members of the public to become involve in research.