Patient and public involvement (PPI) in health and social care research aims to enhance the quality, appropriateness, acceptability and relevance of research, ensuring it addresses issues of importance to patients and the public.1 ,2 Policy commitment from National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and a supportive infrastructure including INVOLVE (http://www.invo.org.uk/) and the help offered by Research Design Services have enabled PPI to flourish in the UK. While great progress has been made, there is much to do before PPI becomes business as usual. This editorial considers some of these challenges, in relation to the evidence base, the capacity and capability of researchers, patients and the wider community and the status of PPI.

While PPI activity has increased, the evidence base underpinning this activity remains relatively weak, primarily because of poor reporting with many studies including only partial information. Poor reporting has important implications, as it clouds our understanding of what works, for whom, in what …