Join the ReaCH Research Partnerships! Help shape research that makes a real difference We’re looking for people from all walks of life to help shape our health and social care research We welcome anyone with lived experience – for example, as a patient, carer, family member, health or social care professional Your voice can help us improve future research Why get involved? By joining the ReaCH Research Partnerships, you’ll become part of a friendly network of researchers, members of the public and partners from charities and services who want to make health and social care better for everyone.
You’ll receive updates about research projects being carried out in our university and have opportunities to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Your input helps ensure our research has real‑world impact.
What our members say "I feel I am listened to." "Everyone was friendly." "Our voices were heard." "Having my name quoted in research is empowering." "It is great when our comments are valued by the researchers." About GCU and ReaCH Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is the University for the Common Good, committed to having a lasting and positive impact on the lives of individuals and wider society.
ReaCH – the Research Centre for Health – is GCU’s hub for health research. We aim to improve the lives of people with long‑term health conditions and enhance public health through high‑quality, collaborative research.
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What are ReaCH Research Partnerships?
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ReaCH Research Partnerships are a collective of ReaCH researchers, members of the public and other people (e.g. health or social care professions, people from charities) who are interested in opportunities to inform and support ReaCH research.
Purpose of ReaCH Research Partnerships
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The people in ReaCH Research Partnerships help make sure that ReaCH research is relevant to people affected by health and social care conditions and those who care and support them. This is done by:
providing opportunities for members of the public and other people to learn about and be involved in ReaCH research facilitating meaningful involvement of members of the public and other people in all stages of ReaCH research. This involvement is sometimes referred to as “patient and public involvement” or “PPI”. This is different from being a participant (or "subject") in a research study. “Involvement” means that people are working in partnership with researchers to help shape the research.
What happens if I join ReaCH Research Partnerships?
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ReaCH Research Partnership members learn about opportunities to get involved in research projects relevant to them. They get this information by email.
As a member of ReaCH Research Partnerships you choose what you want to do and how much you want to get involved. Members can learn about ReaCH research and get involved in ReaCH research.
By signing up, you will start to receive ReaCH Research Partnerships emails. You can opt out at any time without giving a reason.
Learn about ReaCH research
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As a member you will receive occasional emails about research being developed or carried out by ReaCH researchers. These emails will include:
short stories about ReaCH research, for example about new projects that are starting, findings of research studies, or activities of researchers invitations to find out more about research projects, such as an invitation to attend an online meeting to hear the researcher talk about a project opportunities to contribute to the development of a research project. The email will give information about you can find out more about the project and how you could get involved if you wanted to.
Get involved in ReaCH research
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The ReaCH Research Partnerships emails will tell you about opportunities to get involved and how to volunteer. Researchers might ask for volunteers to do a number of different things It is up to you whether you volunteer or not. You will always get a chance to find out more before saying whether you want to be involved in a project or not To get involved in a research project you may have to have some experience of the health or social care condition or treatment that is being researched, perhaps as a patient, family member or a carer
What do ReaCH Research Partnerships members do?
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If you get an email about a project that you are interested in, and you have the relevant lived experience, then you might:
read and comment on a written document, such as a project idea or a plain language summary of a final report. have a conversation with a ReaCH researcher, either face-to-face, on the telephone or on an online call. The researcher might ask your thoughts about a particular research idea or how they are planning to carry out a study attend a group discussion, perhaps joining an online meeting to discuss and ask questions about a research project. For example, you might be asked what you think of a research idea or best ways to recruit people to take part in a study get involved in a specific research project – possibly as part of an advisory group, or perhaps as a member of the research team, or some other role. You would be able to find out more information before deciding if you wanted to volunteer for these sorts of roles help find other people who may like to get involved in a particular research project. For example, this might be helping a researcher find people to be participants in a research study, perhaps by telling other people about the project yourself or by suggesting to the researcher places where they could advertise the project. Some members also have a role in the management and organisation of the Reach Research Partnerships.
What will I get out of joining ReaCH Research Partnerships?
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You will find out about ReaCH research projects and have the chance to help shape these projects. Your views can help make sure a project has the greatest possible impact on the lives of other people affected by the health or social care topic being researched.
People who volunteer to help shape ReaCH research may be offered a payment to thank them for their time. There are nationally recommended rates of payment. ReaCH aims to always make it clear what payment is available for different tasks. If you are not sure, please check with the researcher leading the project before doing anything.
About ReaCH
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The Research Centre for Health (ReaCH) brings together world-leading expertise in the School of Health and Life Sciences to deliver on the Healthy Lives theme of the University’s Research Strategy. Our research spans from cellular mechanisms to whole-body systems, from individuals to entire populations, creating sustainable solutions that move seamlessly from the laboratory into real‑world impact.
ReaCH is structured around three interconnected themes: Public and Community Health, Rehabilitation and Targeted Therapeutics. It is internationally recognised for its excellence in infection prevention and control (IPC) and antimicrobial resistance, with translational research expertise in blood borne viruses, women’s health, physical rehabilitation, and the optimisation of healthcare and community environments.
Through close collaboration with NHS partners, public health agencies, industry, and third-sector organisations, ReaCH delivers research that moves from mechanism to implementation, supporting improved prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation outcomes. ReaCH provides leadership in doctoral training, knowledge exchange, and evidence generation that informs policy and practice at national and international levels, with a focus on the UN sustainable developmental goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).
How do I join?
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To join the ReaCH Research Partnerships, please send an email to ppi@gcu.ac.uk
Privacy notice
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Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to handling all personal data in line with the Data Protection Act (2018), the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data (Use and Access) Act, 2025.
Under Data Protection legislation, Glasgow Caledonian University is the Data Controller, and you can find out more about how we handle personal data, including how to exercise your individual rights and the contact details for our Data Protection Officer at: dataprotection@gcu.ac.uk .
Your personal data, including your contact details, will only be used for the purpose of contacting you about ReaCH partnerships and the University will not use this information for any other purpose. The personal data provided will not be shared with any other parties and will be held securely on GCU corporate systems, in line with corporate retention schedules.
The University will retain your data only for as long as necessary for these marketing purposes or until you withdraw your consent. You can opt out of receiving ReaCH partnership communications at any time by contacting ppi@gcu.ac.uk .
Contact If you have any questions or would like more information about our ReaCH Research Partnerships, please contact ppi@gcu.ac.uk
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