Objective Public and patient involvement is increasingly embedded as a core activity in research funding calls and best practice guidelines. However, there is recognition of the challenges that prevail to achieve genuine and equitable forms of engagement. Our objective was to identify the mechanisms and resources that enable the reciprocal involvement of seldom heard groups in health and social care research. Methods A rapid realist review of the literature that included: (a) a systematic search of CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed and Open Grey (2007‐2017); (b) documents provided by expert panel members of relevant journals and grey literature. Six reference panels were undertaken with homeless, women's, transgender, disability and Traveller and Roma organizations to capture local insights. Data were extracted into a theory‐based grid linking context to behaviour change policy categories. Main results From the review, 20 documents were identified and combined with the reference panel summaries. The expert panel reached consensus about 33 programme theories. These relate to environmental and social planning (7); service provision (6); guidelines (4); fiscal measures (6); communication and marketing (4); and regulation and legislation (6). Conclusions While there is growing evidence of the merits of undertaking PPI, this rarely extends to the meaningful involvement of seldom heard groups. The 33 programme theories agreed by the expert panel point to a variety of mechanisms and resources that need to be considered. Many of the programme theories identified point to the need for a radical shift in current practice to enable the reciprocal involvement of seldom heard groups.

The PaTH (University of Pittsburgh/UPMC, Penn State College of Medicine, Temple University Hospital, and Johns Hopkins University) clinical data research network initiative is a collaborative effort among four academic health centers in the Mid-Atlantic region. PaTH will provide robust infrastructure to conduct research, explore clinical outcomes, link with biospecimens, and improve methods for sharing and analyzing data across our diverse populations. Our disease foci are idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, atrial fibrillation, and obesity. The four network sites have extensive experience in using data from electronic health records and have devised robust methods for patient outreach and recruitment. The network will adopt best practices by using the open-source data-sharing tool, Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2), at each site to enhance data sharing using centrally defined common data elements, and will use the Shared Health Research Information Network (SHRINE) for distributed queries across the network.

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This paper explores the challenges and learning achieved in utilising co-operative inquiry groups as an action research method through the presentation and critical reflection of two different research projects located in health and social care settings. One study was based in a domestic violence agency and the other was based in an age-related healthcare multidisciplinary team in an acute hospital. The paper compares and contrasts the use of a co-operative inquiry approach in these different contexts and explores how the action-based approach affected the way in which practitioners shaped, developed and implemented improved responses and work practices. The paper offers a vivid insight into the complexities of establishing, maintaining and negotiating research relationships where there are inherent power differentials and reveals the strong parallels that can be drawn between research and professional relationships. Learning points fell into three broad areas: participation and engagement within the inquiry group process, power and decision-making and the influence of organisational structures on practice and policy changes. A significant strength of this paper is the reflexive and inquiring conversations which took place between the researchers which facilitated a critical reflection of shared experiences, dilemmas and action learning from utilising a co-operative inquiry group approach.