Team win special prize in NIHR New Media Competition

The University of Bristol's Musculoskeletal Research Unit has won the special prize in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) New Media Competition for a film that shows how patient involvement has been embedded into the STAR (Support and Treatment After joint Replacement) research project and the difference it has made. The film, which was developed in conjunction with the University's Musculoskeletal Research Unit 's Patient Advisory Group, won the special prize for its demonstration of the positive impact of patient and public involvement in a research project. The film shows the importance of drawing upon the expertise of service users to shape research. The Patient Advisory Group has helped the research team to develop materials for potential participants, reduce the time it takes to take part and check the project's progress. They will also be involved in helping to decide how best to make the research findings accessible to a wide audience. Entries were judged by members of the public, following public film screenings in York, Sheffield and Devon as well as a panel from the NIHR. Amanda Burston , Patient and Public Involvement Co-ordinator in the School of Clinical Sciences Musculoskeletal Research Unit, on winning the competition, said: "In our research unit, members of the public and patients work alongside research staff.