The UNITE study is supported by a Public Involvement Panel made up of five members of the public with recent experience of having blood tests in primary care: Amin Islam, Aurora Todisco, Jules Griffiths, Warren Sims and Faith Smith.

Panel members bring their own experiences and perspectives of healthcare and blood testing to the research. They help us consider what matters to patients and the public, advise on how the research is carried out, and help us communicate the findings in ways that are accessible and meaningful. The panel will be involved throughout the study, including advising on recruitment, analysis, and how we share the findings. 

To date, members of the Panel have provided input on the study design and patient information materials and have supported the project's application for ethics approval. In later stages of the project, the Panel will work with the research team and a theatre company to develop creative ways of sharing the research with patients, the public, and primary care staff.  

Two public contributors - Steven Oliver and Cathy Mullins - co-chair a separate Project Advisory Group, which brings together researchers and healthcare professionals with interests and expertise relevant to the study. The Project Advisory Group provides advice and critical challenge throughout the research, helping to shape the direction of the project and interpret and share its findings. The co-chairs ensure that public perspectives are represented in decisions about the project.