Research Involvement Consultancy

Bringing the lived experience of Long Covid to the heart of scientific research.

Are you conducting research into Covid-19, Long Covid, or associated symptoms or conditions such as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) or Covid-induced Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)?

Whether you are looking for Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) or help with recruitment, Long Covid UK provides the expertise to ensure your study is relevant, robust, addresses patient priorities, reaches Long Covid communities worldwide, and remains patient-centred.

How we can help

Our Research Advisers are all individuals living with Long Covid who are trained in PPI. They combine personal lived experience with a deep understanding of the global research landscape.

We can support your project at any stage, including:

  1. Design and development: Reviewing protocols, proposals, and grant applications.

  2. Governance: Providing patient representation on steering committees.

  3. Participant materials: Designing and refining patient-facing documents to ensure they are accessible.

  4. Recruitment: Using our extensive network to help you reach the right participants and PPI representatives.

  5. Analysis and impact: Helping to interpret results, co-author papers, and disseminate findings to the community.

  6. PPI training: Bespoke online training sessions for researchers and PPI providers to help foster effective research involvement.

Person writing notes on a clipboard while sitting next to another person with hands resting on their lap.

Recruitment promotion & paper review

If your study is already at the recruitment stage and you are looking for participants, we can promote your study via our networks and our Take part in research page. To ensure all featured research meets our community standards, we provide a 'paper review' service before promotion options are confirmed.

Work with us

Book a RIC consultation session

  • Discuss your study with our advisers in a dedicated one-hour session. Current available slots are below.

  • If our scheduled times do not fit your availability, please email us to arrange an alternative.

Thursday 3rd September 2026: 2:00pm

Tuesday 15th September 2026: 1:00pm

Tuesday 29th September 2026: 3:00pm

Note: All times are UK

  • To book, please email research@longcovid.org.

We offer different levels of consultancy depending on your study’s needs and stage of development. Just get in touch with our friendly team to find out more about what is on offer and the cost.

  • “I have been working in Patient and Public Involvement for around 17 years and have never had the pleasure of working with such a dynamic, passionate and knowledgeable group as yourselves. Honestly, if you step back and look at how you’ve managed all the activity and work, it is incredible. The impact you have had on improving things for the Long Covid community is enormous.”

    —Amy Rebane, Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation Lead, NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre

  • “Long Covid Support were critical to the success of our international project with the WHO developing a Core Outcome Measurement Set, funded by the NIHR. From the position of someone leading a project urgently needed by both the research community and patients, I can’t imagine a better example of dedicated and thoughtful patient involvement.”

    Dr. Tim Nicholson, King’s College London

  • “I have worked with Long Covid Support on all of my studies into Long Covid. They have provided invaluable insight. When carrying out research into any condition, but especially Long Covid, it is essential to have people with the condition as your research partners.”

    Dr. Caroline Dalton, Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Genetics, Sheffield Hallam University

  • “It’s been a pleasure to work with you again. Rachael [Evans] and I personally value the important difference you make to the PHOSP-COVID study work and more widely to Long Covid research, advocacy and policy. To do all this on top of having a long-term health condition is humbling. Thank you for all that you do.”

    Linzy Houchen-Wolloff, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre

  • "It has been a pleasure to work with you again this year. Rachael [Evans] and I personally value the important difference you make to the PHOSP-COVID study work and more widely to Long Covid research, advocacy and policy. To do all this on top of having a long-term health condition is humbling. Thank you for all that you do."

    —Linzy Houchen-Wolloff, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre

Get in touch

To discuss your study or enquire about promotion, please contact our team: research@longcovid.org Download our RIC leaflet to find out more.