Patient Information: Interviews
Patient Information Sheet for Interviews
How to Join the Study:
Contact the research team
If you are interested in taking part, please contact the HERITAGE research team:
Dr Gemma Hughes on [email protected] or 0116 373 6741
or Dr Joanne Alexander on [email protected] 0116 252 2673
When you get in touch, you can simply say that you are interested in taking part and provide your preferred contact details for a research to get in touch
There is no obligation to take part, and contacting us does not commit you to anything.
Receive information and decide
A member of the research team will contact you and:
- Send you a Patient Information Sheet
- Answer any questions you may have
- Give you time to decide whether you would like to take part
You can take as much time as you need before deciding.
Take part in an interview
If you decide to take part:
- You will be invited to a one‑to‑one interview with a researcher
- Interviews usually last up to one hour
- They can be done:
- by telephone
- by online call (Microsoft Teams)
- or in person, if preferred and feasible
- Interviews can be split into shorter sessions if that works better for you
- You may have a carer or supporter with you if you wish
The interview will focus on your experiences of Long Covid and/or ME/CFS care and support.
Optional: Taking part in the Quality Improvement Collaborative (QIC)
After (or alongside) your interview, you may also be invited to take part in the Quality Improvement Collaborative (QIC). This is completely optional.
The QIC:
- Is a series of online group discussions (via Microsoft Teams)
- Brings together patients, carers, clinicians and researchers
- Focuses on identifying and improving how Long Covid and ME/CFS services work
- You can attend as many or as few sessions as you like
Choosing not to take part in the QIC does not affect your interview or any other involvement in the study.
There is a separate consent form to take part in the QIC
Your choice
- Taking part is entirely voluntary
- You can stop at any time, without giving a reason
- Taking part (or not taking part) will not affect your NHS care now or in the future
Ethics and Data Protection:
HERITAGE has received ethical approval from an HRA Research Ethics Committee. All data will be anonymised and stored securely in compliance with GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act (2018).
Privacy Notice
Your data will be handled securely and used only for research purposes. For more details, see our Privacy Notice: Research Participant Privacy Notice | Data protection at the University
[Heritage Specific Privacy Notice]
Additional Resources
NHS Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/what-is-pals-patient-advice-and-liaison-service/
Phone: 0113 206 6261
University of Leeds Research Governance Office:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0113 343 7587
Data Protection Officer (University of Leeds):
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0113 243 1751
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
Phone: 0303 123 1113