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Groups & Current Work

Working together to advance our practice and to shape
the health and care environment for research.

NHS R&D Forum Groups

Primary Care and Commissioning Working Group

The Primary Care and Commissioning Working Group brings together individuals with experience and expertise in the strategic development, management and delivery of research within primary care and commissioning organisations from across the NHS R&D management, support and leadership community.

The group’s remit is to act as a source of expertise and support for the development, implementation, and sharing of best practice for primary care research and in relation to ICB statutory research duties and to work with key stakeholders including the HRA, NIHR, NHS England and others to influence and support the development of key policies and guidance.

Contact the Group

Contact the group via info@rdforum.org.uk FAO: Clare Symms

Group Chair(s):

Paul Roy

Paul is the Research Manager for the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB, leading the CCG’s Research Team since 2020. The BNSSG Research Team has several joint roles across organisations, including the ICB and the Universities of Bristol and UWE to create a coherent support for research outside of hospital. The BNSSG Research Team offer support for all health and care research outside of hospital. This includes primary care, community care, and public health, and since the early 2020’s formalising support across Local Authorities, including care homes, hospices and social care services.

Paul has worked in the NHS since 2008, beginning in a role supporting primary care finances and soon moving into a role within the Primary Care Research Network (now Division 5 of the Clinical Research Network). Various other roles have included joint roles between academia and the NHS, and Research Manager in the University of Bristol’s Clinical Trials Unit.

Group Members:

Hilary Allan
Head of Research Delivery and Support for Out-of-Hospital Settings
North East and North Cumbria Regional Research Delivery Network

Lisa Austin
Research Manager
Bath Research and Development

Katalin Bagi
Research Portfolio Manager
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB

Paul Carder
Head of Research
West Yorkshire Research & Development

Deborah Cooper
Research Governance Lead
West Yorkshire Research and Development

Nicola Coverdale
Research Operations Manager (primary care)
North East and North Cumbria Regional Research Delivery Network

Martine Cross
Research Delivery Manager
Research Delivery Network

Helen Duffy
Research & Innovation Programme Manager
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust/Staffordshire and Shropshire Health and Care Research Partnership (SSHERPa)

Shona Haining
Strategic Head of Research & Evidence
North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) / R&D Forum Executive

Rachel Illingworth
Head of Research and Evidence
NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB

Lynis Lewis
Service Director
Noclor Research Support Service (North, Central and East London) / NIHR Research Delivery Network

Carly McDonald
Research Manager
NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB

Diane McLeod
Commercial Research Manager- Primary Care
NIHR Research Delivery Network

Andrew Perugia
Project Manager
Noclor Research Support Service (North, Central and East London) / NIHR Research Delivery Network

Alex Phillips
R&D Manager
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICB

Helen Riding
R&D Forum Co-ordinator NHS R&D Forum / Research Manager
North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB)

Matt Rogers
Senior Commissioning Manager
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board

Louise Scott
Research Operations Manager – Primary Care (CRN WM) / R&I Manager
Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust / NIHR Research Delivery Network

Tom Simpson
Research Delivery Manager
NIHR Research Delivery Network

Tom Spencer
Head of Research
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Clare Symms
Head of Research Management and Finance
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB), Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS)

Lisa Wann
R&I Manager
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

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  • Lead new work related to the themes, in their specific areas of interest.
  • Create resources where there are gaps
  • Influence partners & invited stakeholders. Discuss their work, ask for opinions and shape policy.
  • Share expertise and gather intelligence from and for the community
  • Horizon scan for what is of interest to the community. Horizon scanning and conducting community surveys
  • Develop consultation responses
  • Act as a point of reference & contact for the members with questions or peer review
  • Feed into general Forum training, conference and events programmes.
  • Champion the NHS R&D Forum and our community.
  • Speak for and represent the research management, support and leadership community.
  • Drive the Forum forward and provide leadership
  • Strategically, proposing Forum content, providing leadership and ensuring oversight of outputs
  • As a point of contact, providing peer support to colleagues
  • As a Task and finish, producing outputs and resources
  • As a space to work out loud, sharing experience and connecting with colleagues.