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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

RDF25 Conference Programme Development Group

The group develops the content of the programme for our annual conference. This conference is the flagship event of the year for research management, support and leadership in health and care and is UK wide.

Contact the group:

If you are interested in joining the group for the next conference please contact the Chair info@rdforum.org.uk

Group Chair(s):

Carolyn Maloney

Carolyn is the R&I Director of Operations at Leicester’s Hospitals and has been working in research management for over 20 years. She has a reputation for her no nonsense, pragmatic and proportionate approach. Carolyn has a keen interest in helping individuals to develop psychological safety and to promote civility and respect in all aspects of the research management process.

Group Members:

Allyson Bailey
Training Lead
Research and Development Forum

Catherine Blewett
Senior Development Manager
Health Research Authority

Laura Bousfield
National Head of Study Support Services
NIHR

Mark Brandon-Grove
Head of Clinical Research Performance & Quality
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust & The Institute of Cancer Research, RDF Trustee

Pippa Brice
Head of Research and Development
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board, RDF Trustee

Emma Donaldson
Research and Development Operations Manager
CRP Engagement Lead NIHR, CRN Thames Valley and South Midlands

Shahista Hussain
Head of R&D Governance / Deputy Head of R&D Operations (Secondment),
Oxford University Hospitals NHS FT, RDF Trustee

Pushpen Joshi
Research Governance Manager
Joint Research Office University College London Hospitals NHS Trust & University College London

Angelika Kristek
Clinical Research Facilitator
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Helen Lewis-White
Deputy Director of R&D
North Bristol NHS Trust

Bernie Pearson
Head of Health and Social Care (HSC) R&D Governance
Northern Ireland

Helen Riding
Research and Development Forum Co-ordinator

Jillian Simpson
Assistant Research Delivery Manager
NIHR CRN North-West Coast, Merseyside and Lancs teaching hospitals

Tom Spencer
Head of R&D
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Angela Topping
Research and & Development Forum Chair of Trustees

Alex Zhekova
Research Manager
NCVR Champion for East of England, NIHR, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB), Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS)

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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.