1. The Patient First Research panel is a secure UK community of people living with health conditions, or those who care for someone who does.
2. By joining, you can share your real-life experiences in research studies that help improve medicines, treatments, and the way healthcare is delivered.
3. You’ll receive fair payment for your time — which you can keep or donate (in part or full) to charity. The choice is entirely yours.
4. All participation is governed by our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy, which follow the BHBIA, EphMRA, and MRS codes of conduct.

Market research is a structured and ethical way of gathering real-world opinions, experiences, and insights from people like you. In healthcare, it helps researchers, charities, and organisations understand what patients and caregivers truly think, feel, and need.

It is not medical testing, or anything involving treatment changes. Instead, it typically involves sharing your anonymised views through:

1. Short online surveys
2. Telephone or video interviews
3. Group discussions or online communities

Your feedback helps improve medicines, services, support pathways, and patient experiences across the UK — and you are always compensated for your time.

The panel is managed by Patient First Research, a UK-based healthcare market research company. We are ICO registered and follow the professional and ethical guidelines of MRS, BHBIA, and EphMRA.

We work closely with:

1. UK patient charities and support groups
2. Pharmaceutical research teams
3. Healthcare consultancies
4. Medical communications agencies
5. Health technology innovators

These partnerships create a bridge between those who need answers — and those who have them.

Anyone aged 18 or over who lives in the UK and takes medication (prescribed or over the counter) can join. Many research opportunities are about your experiences with UK healthcare, not only specific diseases.

We also welcome:

1. Parents, guardians, or caregivers of children with a health condition.
2. Careers or family members who support someone with a long-term condition.

You don’t need any previous research experience — just a genuine voice and willingness to share your opinion. We simply ask that all members at all times provide the most accurate and honest information they can during registration and throughout any studies you take part in.

Always. There are no membership fees or hidden charges.

Joining Patient First Research means becoming part of a trusted, supportive UK community where your lived experience genuinely shapes the future of healthcare.

Many of our members tell us that taking part in research provides a genuinely helpful additional source of income — especially during times when everyday costs are rising. We aim to keep participation flexible, fair, and accessible, so you can earn extra in a way that fits around your health and your day-to-day life.

By joining the Patient First Research panel, you can:

1. Join a friendly, supportive UK community that values patient and caregiver experiences.
2. Gain the opportunity to learn about emerging and new treatments and upcoming innovations.
3. Receive transparent, fair payment for every study you take part in — paid directly into your dashboard wallet by bank transfer.
4. Ensure your voice is heard by healthcare companies, charities, and researchers.
5. Help shape the future of medicines, treatments, and healthcare services.
6. Support causes that matter to you, with the option to donate some or all of your earnings to charity.

Many of our members tell us that taking part in research provides a genuinely helpful additional source of income — especially during times when everyday costs are rising. We aim to keep participation flexible, fair, and accessible, so you can earn a little extra in a way that fits around your health and your day-to-day life.

No, participation is entirely optional. You choose what feels right for you.

Taking part is voluntary and completely separate from your medical care. Your GP, hospital, or healthcare team will not be informed unless you choose to tell them.

1. Free registration: We will never ask you for payment.
2. Regular paid opportunities: Complete studies in your own time.
3. Fast payment: Once you successfully complete a research task, your incentive will usually be added to your dashboard within 14 days or less, without waiting for the wider project to close.
4. Fair incentives:
5. Upon successful research study completion typical payments are-
   1. Online surveys: £5–£60 or more depending on length. Online surveys are typically no more than 30 minutes in length.
   2. Telephone Interviews or focus groups: £60–£250 or more, depending on topic and duration. A typical telephone interview will last between 45- 60minutes.
6. A thank-you incentive: Even if you don’t qualify for a study, you’ll still receive a smaller thank-you incentive in your dashboard wallet. It’s our way of recognising your time and support — ensuring you always benefit from being part of the Patient First Research community.
7. Option to donate: You can give part or all of your reward to charity.
8. Personal dashboard: Track payments, update your profile, and view available opportunities.
9. UK-based support: Our friendly team is available by email, or phone.
10. Full transparency: We’ll always tell you what’s required, how long it will take, and exactly how much you’ll be paid for participating.

Registration typically takes 10–15 minutes, depending on how much detail you choose to share and the number of medical conditions you profile for. We’ve tried to design the process to be as simple, accessible, and straightforward as possible.

We ask questions about you and your health (or the person you care for) so we can match you to the most relevant and meaningful paid research opportunities.

Taking a little extra care now helps us invite you to studies where you’re more likely to qualify — meaning more opportunities and some of the most competitive incentives available in healthcare research.

When you complete a research study, your participation incentive will usually appear in your secure Patient First Research dashboard within 14 days or less. From there, you’ll have complete control over your funds — you can choose to withdraw your payment directly to your bank account, or keep it in your dashboard balance to use or donate to charity later. 

All payments and incentives will be clearly explained before you start any research activity, including the value and payment method. We’ll notify you once your reward is available in your dashboard. 

We may need to pause or withhold payment if: - 

1. The research activity wasn’t fully completed.
2. Fraudulent or duplicate participation is suspected.
3. Your payment or identity details are incomplete or invalid. 

To help keep things simple and efficient, please note that the minimum withdrawal amount from your dashboard balance is £10. This helps us manage administrative and processing costs fairly.

If your balance is below £10, you can continue to collect incentives until you reach the minimum threshold, or you may choose to donate your balance to one of our partner charities.

Typical payments:

1. Online surveys: £5–£60 or more depending on length (typically up to 30 minutes).
2. Telephone Interviews or focus groups: £60–£250 or more, depending on topic and duration (typically between 45- 60 minutes).
3. Thank-you incentive: Even if you don’t qualify for a study, you’ll still receive a smaller thank-you credit in your dashboard wallet — our way of recognizing your time and support.

You’ll always know exactly how much and how you’ll be paid before agreeing to take part.

When you’re invited to a study, you’ll first answer a few short screening questions. These are simply to check whether the study is the right fit for your experiences.

1. Completion incentive: If you meet the study criteria and go on to complete the full research activity, you’ll receive the full completion incentive. This is always clearly stated upfront.
2. Thank-you incentive: If the study isn’t the right match on this occasion, you’ll still receive a smaller thank-you incentive in your dashboard — just for taking the time to try. It’s our way of making sure your effort is always valued, whether you qualify or not.

This approach ensures that your time is recognised every time you participate, and reflects our commitment to fairness and appreciation across the entire Patient First Research community.

To avoid any confusion, you will only receive one incentive per study. If you qualify and complete the full research activity, you’ll receive the completion incentive. If you do not qualify, you’ll receive the thank-you incentive instead — never both. This keeps the process fair, transparent, and consistent for every member.

1. Complete our online registration form (click the Join Our Community button on the website).

2. Confirm your identity — usually by verifying your email address and uploading a photo ID.

3. Complete your health profiling so we can best match you with relevant studies.

4. Registration confirms your agreement to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

5. Once verified, you'll start receiving invitations by email and text message when new opportunities become available.

Personal support whenever you need it

We get it. One size doesn't always fit all. The computer should never say no when it should be saying yes! We have human UK-based support available to help you with any questions or registration support.

We have alternative solutions to help you register, so that no genuine respondent misses out on the opportunity to join the Patient Research community.

Yes! Through our Giving Back programme, you can donate part or all of your reward to our charity partners.

We contact members through email, text message (SMS), and occasionally by telephone when a study requires a quick response or personal confirmation. To make sure you don’t miss invitations:

1. Add our email address to your safe senders list: community@patientfirstresearch.org
2. Keep your mobile number and telephone contact details updated.
3. Check spam/junk folders occasionally.

You can manage your contact preferences at any time through your dashboard.

You may be invited to take part in:

1. Online surveys
2. Telephone or video interviews
3. Online discussion forums or communities
4. Focus groups
5. Diary studies (tracking your experiences)
6. Clinical trial recruitment (only if you’ve chosen to be considered)

Each opportunity will include full details — topic, time commitment, and incentive — before you decide whether to take part.

Customer support is our top priority.

If you need help with anything at all, contact our friendly UK-based support team: 

1. 📧 support@patientfirstresearch.org
2. 📞 01603 385915 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm)

These contact details are displayed throughout the registration process for your convenience and all of our communication with you.

You can update your details anytime through your dashboard.

Keeping your profile current helps us match you with the most relevant research opportunities — and ensures we can reach you when new studies open.

Verification is a key part of keeping our community fair, secure, and genuinely patient-focused. Because we offer paid research opportunities, we occasionally see attempts from bots, duplicate accounts, or people who are not real patients or caregivers.

Ensuring that only genuine members join protects the quality of the research and the experience of every legitimate participant.

Verification helps us:

1. Confirm that each member is a real person with genuine lived experience.
2. Prevent fraud and safeguard the integrity of the community.
3. Ensure research results are trustworthy and accurately reflect real patient voices.
4. Match you to the most relevant and meaningful opportunities.

Verification may include:

1. Phone validation
2. Email validation
3. Address confirmation
4. Behavioural fraud screening
5. Review of ID and proof of conditions by our UK-based team

If anything doesn’t match, we may request a quick additional check — but we never ask for unnecessary information, and you’re supported throughout.

We only ever ask for what’s necessary and store your information securely in line with our Privacy Policy and UK GDPR.

These checks help keep the community safe — and ensure that every voice in our research is real, respected, and valuable.

Your privacy is our top priority.

1. Your information is used only for research participation and verification.
2. We comply fully with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and ICO requirements.
3. We follow the ethical codes of BHBIA, EphMRA, and the MRS.
4. Your personal details are stored securely and will never be sold or used for marketing.
5. Detailed information on how we use, store, and protect your data is available in the Panel Members Privacy Policy 2025.
6. You can request that your information be deleted at any time.

You’ll never be left on your own. Our UK support team can guide you step-by-step and offer alternative solutions if you have any trouble registering.

No. You’re always in control. Accept or decline any invitation — it won’t affect your chances of future studies.

Certain studies may require simple verification such as a prescription label, clinic letter, or GP confirmation.

You’ll always be told in advance if this is needed, or you can upload documents via your dashboard. Verification improves accuracy, security, and the number of opportunities you qualify for.

Yes, anytime. You can click “unsubscribe” in any of our emails or contact our support team. 

If you request it, we’ll permanently delete all your data from our system, in line with our Privacy Policy.

We’re a real UK-based team, here to help with anything you need. 

Email: support@patientfirstresearch.org

Phone: 01603 385915