Practices and standards established by healthcare regulators directly influence
behaviours of healthcare professionals and, by extension, the quality, safety, and
consistency of care patients receive. Despite the importance of public trust and
engagement in regulatory processes, systematic inclusion of patient and public
perspectives in healthcare profession regulation remains underexplored. This project
will develop evidence-based, implementable strategies for integrating patient and
public voices into healthcare regulatory frameworks, using the Pharmaceutical
Society of Ireland (PSI) as a case study. It will address an important gap in regulatory
science by creating actionable frameworks for patient-centred healthcare profession
regulation.
The research adopts a multi-phase design to achieve its objectives. A scoping review
of international research and grey literature will identify existing practices and
methodologies for incorporating patient and public perspectives into healthcare
professions regulation. Semi-structured interviews with key stakeholder groups will
provide qualitative insights into barriers, facilitators, and opportunities for involvement
of patients/the public. The findings will inform the development of draft guidelines for
best practices, which will be refined through a Delphi study involving an international
expert panel to ensure clarity, relevance, and feasibility.
To support practical implementation, the team will co-design a roadmap tailored to
the PSI, addressing feasibility, scalability, and potential impact within a real-world
regulatory context. Practical issues such as communication and change management
in the regulatory setting will be considered. An implementation roadmap to support
other regulators will also be developed to serve as a blueprint for adoption by other
regulators. Knowledge translation is critical, therefore dissemination efforts will
include academic publications, policy briefs, and accessible resources including an
animation, ensuring broad applicability and impact.
By integrating patient and public perspectives, the research aims to enhance
regulatory transparency, inclusivity, and responsiveness, ultimately strengthening
public trust and improving healthcare outcomes through safer and more equitable oversight of healthcare professionals.
