NIHR Update: Digital survey success for 2025/26 NIHR Participant in Research Experience Survey
Date: 23 October 2026
Moving to a digital-first approach is a success as the 2025/26 NIHR Participant in Research Experience Survey report shows. More than 70% of responses were submitted online.
In 2025/26, 26,479 participants, including adults, children and young people, shared their experiences through PRES, covering more than 1,400 NIHR RDN Portfolio studies.
Moving to a digital-first approach in 2025/26, utilising the My Research Experience platform, makes it easier for participants to share their views. It also opens the door to wider care and Primary Care settings increasing the number of completed surveys.
Ensuring participants understand how the research is progressing and how their contribution is helping to achieve its goals, is an important part of the research journey. However, survey feedback said only 73% (77% in 2024/25) of adults and 65% (80% in 2024/25) of children and young people knew how to receive the results of the research study they were taking part in. The report recommends that study teams:
- ensure communication preference conversations with participants happen early, with contact information updated regularly
- signpost to study-specific communication channels (e.g. social media)
We’d like to thank everyone for your continued support of My Research Experience. Listening to participants and acting on their feedback is helping to shape a more positive experience of research.
Read a summary of the Participant in Research Experience Survey 2025/26 report on the NIHR website.