Clare Panaser

National Institute for Health and Care Research
United Kingdom

Abstract Title:

Biography:

Clare is a mother, midwife, and emerging researcher with over 20 years’ experience across health, fitness, and holistic therapy. Entering midwifery later in life has enabled her to combine lived experience with clinical and research practice. She completed an MSc by Research in preconception health in 2024 and now focuses on addressing health inequalities in coastal and post-industrial rural communities. Supported by an NIHR Pre-doctoral Award, her current work centres on Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement to co-develop preventative maternity interventions, with the aim of progressing to doctoral research and delivering meaningful, community-led improvements in care.

Research Interest:

This presentation describes the early development of a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) programme focused on maternal and child health in coastal and rural communities. Delivered in collaboration with the Institute for Health and Care Improvement (IHCI) and the Scarborough Health and Coastal Research Collaborative (SHARC), the work aims to co-produce future research addressing preconception health and supporting knowledge and access to it. Central to this approach is the creation of equitable partnerships that ensure research priorities are shaped by the communities most affected by health inequalities.

PPIE activity has been embedded within existing, trusted local community networks and grassroots organisations, including Sparks, SeeChange, and the Whitby Sling and feeding support Library. Engagement has taken place in familiar, non-clinical settings such as baby groups, community hubs, and wellbeing spaces, enabling inclusive and accessible involvement. The approach prioritises relationship-building, active listening, and recognition of lived experience as a form of expertise. Ethical, trauma-informed, and context-sensitive methods have guided the work, acknowledging the social, economic, and geographical factors influencing participation in coastal and post-industrial rural areas.

Early learning highlights both challenges and opportunities in initiating PPIE in under-researched communities, including issues of trust, access, and capacity. Findings emphasise the importance of flexible, locally-responsive engagement that aligns with community rhythms and priorities. Next steps include co-developing qualitative research questions, refining themes emerging from community conversations, and using this foundation to inform the design of an upstream, preventative intervention. This work will continue throughout the NIHR Pre-doctoral Award and directly inform a future Doctoral Award application grounded in community-identified needs.