Research for the Future:�Supporting you to involve, engage and �recruit the right people to your research
v3_Jan. 2025
Are you registered with�Research for the Future?
Objectives
After working through this learning resource, you will be able to:
What is �Research for the Future?
Research for the Future is an award-winning, NHS-supported campaign, working with NHS partners across north-west England to:
Research for the Future is hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
Research for the Future was established in 2011 as ‘Help BEAT Diabetes’ to help people in Greater Manchester get involved in diabetes research.
The programme subsequently expanded to support research across all health conditions, as well as healthy volunteer studies. It has five areas of particular interest, highlighted by the ‘Help BEAT’ campaigns.
Over 19 800 people have registered with Research for the Future.
What does �Research for the Future do?
It supports researchers and teams to involve, engage and recruit the right people to participate in their research.
Involvement
Taking part in a research study:
Engagement
Sharing information and knowledge about research:
Participation
Taking part in a research study:
Why involvement in research is important
Research is vital for the future of health and care services, as it helps to find better ways to prevent, treat and manage illnesses
For patients and the public, being involved can mean:
Where does �Research for the Future work?
The National Institute for Health and Care (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care to enable the health and care system to attract and deliver research across England.
The RDN comprises of 12 regional networks and a coordinating centre. Working together they support research in local NHS trusts, public health, primary care and social care organisations.
�Research for the Future predominantly supports research across the North West Regional Research Delivery Network. This includes Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, Lancashire and South Cumbria.
How might involving and engaging �with people benefit your research?
Reflection
How does Research for the Future connect people to research?
It has a unique, secure database of volunteers that have consented to be approached about research.
It can promote opportunities via several methods including direct mail, website, newsletter, and social media (appropriate ethics permissions must be in place).
All volunteers are over 18 and live in England.
When someone registers, they are agreeing to receive information about research opportunities.
Completing the online registration form is quick and easy. It asks for contact details and information about general health. This is used to match people with relevant opportunities.
Find out how we use and protect data at:
When a researcher approaches Research for the Future, the service:
You can find out more at:
Tailoring the approach
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to research involvement, engagement and recruitment. Each opportunity is unique.
Research for the Future work closely with researchers to tailor the approach and try to identify and overcome any challenges.
This may include targeted work with communities where disease prevalence is greater, or that have been identified as ‘hard-to-reach’ or ‘under-served’.
Example:
Tailoring engagement
A national charity approached Research for the Future to be part of a new collaboration with an NHS trust. The project was looking to increase representation in research from several marginalised communities.
Research for the Future collaborated from the early stages to make sure that involvement and engagement was embedded into the study design. As well as promoting opportunities via its digital channels, it developed a range of targeted engagement activities with community ambassadors.
Research for the Future website
Studies and other research opportunities are published on the Research for the Future website.
Doing this gives:
Example:
Supporting study recruitment
PONTIAC II is an international study led by a team at the University of Vienna. The study wanted to find out whether certain medications could be used to prevent heart disease.
Research for the Future used its unique database to contact volunteers meeting specific criteria. It also promoted the study on the website and social media.
Case studies
The Research for the Future website includes several case studies of research it has supported. It provides a place for researchers to feedback results and disseminate subsequent papers or journal articles.
Example:
Case study
A team at Manchester Metropolitan University asked Research for the Future to help include patient voices in their project to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) could help doctors identify people at risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease.
Research for the Future used its database to contact appropriate volunteers. In less than 24 hours researchers received more than 50 responses.
Social media
Research for the Future promotes research opportunities across its social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Doing this allows:
Studies with greater online engagement reach more potential participants. This can help to meet recruitment targets and deliver the study on time.��Do you follow Research for the Future on social media?
What research staff have said
“By matching people with opportunities, Research for the Future has helped thousands gain access to research. On the flip side, it’s also helped recruit suitable participants to studies to improve care.”
Sarah Fallon, Chief Operating Officer, NIHR Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester
“As we have seen so clearly during the pandemic, new treatments can only be tested with the help of patients. Signing up to Research for the Future is a very straightforward way that citizens can play a vital part in transforming care.”
Dr Adrian Heald, Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology
What research staff have said
“The response has been fantastic. We were able to close recruitment earlier than expected as within just a few days we had received enough responses. Your volunteers offered personal stories that are related to, and will influence our work”
Dr Liliana Shalamanova, Manchester Metropolitan University
“Research for the Future advised and helped us with the entire recruitment process. We received a great response and invaluable feedback that led to significant improvements to our work”
Sarka Grayson, Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire Strategic Clinical Networks
What participants have said
“Signing up to this database was something that I really wanted to do, because clinical research really is the only way to improve health and care for any disease.”�
John Wilkinson OBE, former Chairman of Salford Red Devils
“The thought I was in some way helping to beat the virus was my driving force. I mean, just try and calculate how many lives this might save, it could be millions!”
Patient taking part in a COVID-19 vaccine trial
“I wanted to help the NHS find new treatments, after receiving such fantastic care when I was ill.
Patient taking part in a COVID-19 vaccine trial
Since Research for the Future began…
Figures correct at 02/10/25
How can you promote�Research for the Future?
Question
Promoting Research for the Future
Research for the Future needs your help to build its database, by encouraging people to register.
Working together in this way means that Research for the Future are ideally placed to help researchers like you when they need help with recruitment.
Contact the office to request free promotional resources, or access them at:
Face-to-face engagement
Nothing beats face-to-face engagement with people about the benefits of taking part in research and the Research for the Future team try to get out to as many events as possible.
Please contact the office if you’d like to invite the team to attend your event, health fair, open day or clinic.
Are you registered with�Research for the Future?��www.researchforthefuture.org/register
Certificate of Completion
To request your ‘Certificate of Completion’ for this training, please email research.future@mft.nhs.uk
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