ABSTRACT
The focus of this chapter is user involvement in research and its relationship with health and social care policy and practice. This means that while the chapter is centrally concerned with research, its discussion also extends to policy and practice. This follows from the view that an understanding of user involvement in research cannot be achieved without some consideration of the role and nature of user involvement in policy and practice. Put simply, we are unlikely to gain a helpful understanding of user involvement in research without consideration of user involvement more generally. Moreover, if the aim is to develop an inclusive approach to ‘evidence-based’ policy and practice, then we will need to have some understanding of participation in all aspects of the process.
