Table 1 Involvement of Public Contributors in the DIPLOMA Research Project

Public contributors

A DIPLOMA PPIE group was formed in 2017; there have been a total of 10 contributors throughout the DIPLOMA evaluation, and five who have regularly contributed since 2020

PPIE members were recruited either from: (a) a previous PPIE group who expressed an interest in the DIPLOMA project due to personal and family experiences, (b) a PPIE network called ‘Research for the Future’, a collaboration between NIHR Clinical Research Network: Greater Manchester, North West EHealth, Northern Care Alliance NHS Group and Health Innovation Manchester, or (c) Diabetes UK

Contributors included representation from people at risk of type 2 diabetes, people with a family history of diabetes, and people from different backgrounds including ethnic minorities

Two lay members were also recruited to our Study Steering Committee group, alongside clinicians and researchers outside of the research team

Meetings

Members of the research team facilitated the PPIE group throughout the five-year project. Everyone was considered equal

The PPIE group met 18 times in total (initially face-to-face, and then virtually during and following the Covid-19 pandemic)

Payments

All PPIE members were paid for their involvement, in line with current guidance [17]

PPIE members were reimbursed for any travel expenses and for their time, including meeting attendance and any feedback activity undertaken throughout the research evaluation, as per the current guidance [17]

PPIE involvement

During these meetings, and via email and telephone communication in between meetings, members helped to design research studies within the different work packages, interpret research findings, and co-produce public engagement materials to disseminate research findings for lay audiences