Public Board of Directors papers 260123

LG summarised that the project enabled reflection on trial design from different perspectives. The workshop discussions identified immediate changes to trial design and management processes that will be adopted. The work highlighted the value of collaborating with others to both question practice and identify solutions. The outputs from the project will make processes and practice more inclusive in future technology clinical trials, and will contribute to the wider discussion of addressing the digital divide in clinical research. Next steps were outlined including publication of an online case study with NIHR to share across their platform and a manuscript is being drafted for submission to the Journal of Oncology Practice. CO asked what the changes were from the initial stages. LG noted that the initial involvement with sponsors changed. Grant applications and having an accessibility fund attached for people who may need that money. FB noted the major shift in thinking that this represents in how we engage patients in research. The learning is applicable to all research and will become embedded in all our research work. It was noted that the team recently won the GM Cancer Inclusivity award. JM asked if there were any surprises and if the engaged groups became empowered to want to do things you don’t want to do and how this was managed. LG noted that the surprises were the obvious things that hadn’t been thought of before. The team were challenged and pushed and it resulted in things being adapted in the constraints of clinical research. AM noted the genuine commitment to inclusion. She asked about nudge techniques and incentivisation. LG responded that as part of the funding process it became clear we don’t think about incentivisation, working with VOCAL outlined the different aspects of incentivising people for their time and the practicalities. The group worked with were not aware of nudge this will be considered. CH asked about the project outputs and to what extent the results of these patients applies to a more general population and not just GM/NW. DG noted that the patient group were carefully chosen with VOCAL so should be general enough to be applied to other cultural contexts. The checklist can be adapted to be applicable. CO noted that this is very timely for the Board in terms of the focus on research and inclusivity generally. KR asked about barriers and if they were different for different groups. LG noted that there was a mix, some communities had very specific barriers that weren’t in other communities. KR asked if things have changed already. LG noted that the change is incremental and some elements have already been changed. DG noted the importance of having research practitioners to take this work forward. CO thanked them for attending. Acknowledged MAHSC & Health Innovation Manchester. CO thanked LG for the presentation and invited questions.

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37/22 Standard business a Apologies

Prof Kieran Walshe (KW), Non-Executive Director b Declarations of Interest No declarations of interest noted. c Minutes of the previous meeting – 27 th October 2022 The minutes were accepted as a correct record.

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