Table 6 Recommendations for JLA PSPs

1

The core group in future JLA projects should not solely select steering group participants based on the knowledge they bring in, but should be conscious of their deliberative virtues and the influence on the dynamic of the group to ensure an inclusive PSP

2

Rhetorical skills of individual PSP members may influence to a large extent the outcome of a JLA process. The core group should therefore carefully balance these skills in the different stakeholder groups. Additional training in this respect may be offered to individual participants to ensure equal participation.

3

Participants expect that the JLA top 10 will be used to have impact on research practice. It is therefore recommended that core group members, already in an early stage, plan ahead for the implementation of the top 10.

4

Steering group members should clarify in meetings from which perspective they speak: from one’s own experience or as a representative of a group

5

Validated methods for interest clustering and aggregation of the individual questions into overarching questions during JLA projects should be more explicitly discussed in the academic literature.

6

The steering group should reflect and report on how they have dealt with disagreements and what mode of decision making they have applied to better interpret the outcome of JLA PSPs, by documenting dissenting votes or dissenting opinions.

7

The research community should be made aware of ‘background’ documentation of the top 10 research priorities, to draw attention to more unique perspectives and authentic questions and to make the translation of research priorities into research projects responsive to the intended questions.

8

Composition of the core group deserves careful deliberation. As participants base their decision whether or not to participate at least partly on the degree of trustworthiness of the core group, selection of its members is critical.

9

A JLA project generates more relevant information next to the Top 10. For example during the verification phase where extensive literature searches are performed. The core group should strive to make also this (supplemental) information available to the patient and research community

10

The JLA should provide more guidance to deal with ‘process uncertainties’, especially during the interim prioritisation phase