Who is the emergency care community? A qualitative exploration of stakeholder roles and relationships in engaged research within a South African provincial emergency care system

Abstract

This study highlights the complexity of defining the EC community, with boundaries that are broad, variable, and often contested. Participants identified the absence or unclear roles of key stakeholders, including patients, decision-makers, and frontline clinicians, within research processes. Fragmentation and limited trust were viewed as major barriers to meaningful engagement, reinforcing the need for stronger, more transparent relationships within the community. Frontline clinicians were consistently recognised as underutilised yet uniquely positioned to connect clinical realities with academic research and community priorities. Strengthening engaged research in this context will require clearer guidance on how and when to involve stakeholders, structured mechanisms to build and sustain trust, and practical support for clinician participation. Together, these steps could help embed engagement more deeply into research culture and enhance the relevance and impact of EC scholarship.