The Forum consists of those in R&D management, support & leadership roles working in with and for providers and commissioners of health and care. Our network is broad and inclusive of patients and the public, non-traditional settings, joint research offices, higher education sponsor teams and more.
Members who volunteer their time lead the Forum, represent the R&D Forum community, and create our value, content and outputs.
The Forum Leadership Team
Representing the Forum to stakeholders, the team oversees the Forum strategy and leads areas of activity to move the work of the Forum forward as a body.
The Forum leadership team is made up of:
- Exec Committee
- Group Chairs
- Management Team
Forum Executive Committee
The committee oversees the strategic direction and daily operations of the Forum as a network. The group is responsible for oversight of finance and governance and financial oversight, contractors, communications and the process for conference and events.
Members:
- Dr Maria Palmer, Director of R&D Forum
- Dr Shona Haining, Head of Research & Evidence,. NECS
- Dr Angela Ball, Independent consultant
Dr Maria Palmer
Maria has been involved in the NHS R&D Forum since it’s inception and has been its Director since 2007. A pharmacist by profession she gained a Masters degree and PhD by research and has been involved in a wide range of laboratory, clinical and health services research. Maria has been involved in R&D management since 1996, including 10 years as R&D Director for the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust leading on the trust’s Culyer declaration and funding bids.
Dr Shona Haining
Shona has worked in various R&D roles operationally and strategically in the North East for many years, mainly in Primary Care but also secondment or joint posts into secondary care, mental health and NHS England. Her current role is as Head of Research & Evidence for North of England Commissioning Support. She leads to deliver the research and evidence statutory duties of the 11 Clinical Commissioning Groups over the North East and North Cumbria. She is passionate about the professional and essential role research can play in the whole pathway of research from ideas to implementing outcomes to improve patient care.
Dr Angela Ball
Angela has worked in clinical research for about 20 years and has been associated with the forum since 2002. She has experience of managing research to meet U.K., USA and Middle Eastern compliance requirements. Angela was previously Assistant Executive Director of Business Development and Research at the Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha where she modernised their research management practices, established the corporation’s IRB and achieved accreditation against the JCI criteria. Prior to this she worked at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust where she was the Associate Director of Research, her role included the management of the research division which included facilities such as the research tissue bank, trials coordination unit, patient recruitment facilities and staff.
Forum Management & Business Support Services
The Forum manager supports all the groups and the leadership team in driving the strategy and content of the Forum. The Manager is charged with implementing the strategic plan on a daily basis, engaging with community members and partners, and developing our projects and initiatives. The current Forum Manager is Kate Greenwood.
Delegant Limited provide the day-to-day event management and membership management for the NHS R&D Forum. Delegant manage the Annual Conference, all training courses, and the day-to-day running of the NHS R&D Forum. Please contact us directly for any questions you have concerning the Forum.
Group Chairs
The Chairs of the Forum Groups are members of the Leadership Team that oversees strategy and leads areas of activity to move the work of the Forum forward as a body
Dr Allyson Bailey Dr. Allyson Bailey has worked for the NHS in various capacities since 1994 and has been a Research and Development Officer in NHS Forth Valley since 2004 as well as Commercial R&D Manager for NHS Fife. She has been involved in all aspects of the R&D journey from project development to archiving, as well as carrying out a small NHS research project of her own. In addition to delivering training for the NHS R&D Forum she is a GCP Trainer. Allyson has a PhD in Classical Archaeology from the University of Edinburgh. In her spare time she is a very amateur wildlife photographer and volunteers at two zoos. She has written two books, one on evolution and the other about her experiences on a conservation project in Namibia. Allyson Bailey is chair of the Learning and Development Group |

R&D Contacts Directory

Join the R&D Forum
