Forging a more equitable future through patient and public involvement and engagement (1 April 2025)

Summary

The need for fast-paced innovation in healthcare is widely acknowledged. And ensuring that healthcare innovation is shaped by the people it serves remains a pressing priority – one made all the more evident by the growing emphasis on health equity in the 10 Year Health Plan.

Patient voices are often cited as central to healthcare innovation, yet in practice, those voices can be overlooked or engaged too late in the process. On 26 February, the Health Innovation Network invited patient representatives to join them at HETT North in Manchester. They visited innovators exhibiting with the Health Innovation Network, and were encouraged to share experiences and reflections on Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement, common challenges and best practices.

In partnership with The Patients Association, a roundtable discussion was convened to explore how Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement can deliver more inclusive, sustainable healthcare innovation. 

Content

What emerged from the roundtable discussion is a comprehensive set of recommendations that outline how sustained, well-structured patient engagement can enable more equitable, impactful and inclusive healthcare innovations. 

Forging a more equitable future through Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement sets out these recommendations, exploring how patient voices can be embedded in the development of digital technology, the need to move beyond conventional pathways, and how to build trust through local communities. 

A consistent theme was the emphasis on meeting people where they are. Addressing health inequalities requires acknowledging how social, economic, and cultural contexts shape individuals’ access to—and perceptions of—care.  

Explore the full report to discover real-world case studies, expert insights and actionable recommendations that can shape the future of patient involvement in healthcare innovation.