July Newsletter 2019

Date: 2 August 2019

Did you read…?
The notes and slides from the MRC data anonymisation workshop, held in May. They can all be found here

Did you know?
The NIHR website has been updated and therefore some links to key items will have moved. For example: all ETC information is now accessed via the new link and so you may wish to update some of your bookmarks. Please report any broken links you find in the Resources Exchange and we will fix them.

There is a new helpdesk email address to help manage ETC queries.

The Forum Symposia Series

These one-day events connect members of our community to share practice on a specific theme.
 

Embedding research through strategy, leadership & culture

October 9th: London

Embedded research is key to being a well-led NHS organisation and enabling this is the primary role of an NHS R&D function.

We are delighted to release the programme and speakers including Prof Martin Marshall and Dr Sarah Ball. Prof Marshall is Chair Elect Royal College of GPs and Professor of Healthcare Improvement at UCL in the Department of Primary Care and Population Health. Dr Ball is Senior Analyst RAND Europe and Cambridge Centre for Health Services Research (CCSHR) and is co-author of the rapid evidence review for THIS institute on NHS engagement in research.

Please note this small symposium has limited places only and with fantastic speakers confirmed, places are filling up fast.

Further details & booking

Non-commercial Sponsors Symposium
November 19th: Birmingham NEC

We are creating an exciting programme for this Symposia event that builds on previous years learning. Juliet Tizzard, Health Research Authority, will be speaking as part of a morning plenary session. The day will involve a mix of keynote and community presentations, roundtable discussions with stakeholders and group working.

Further details & booking

Research not as we know it: Managing novel methods in research 
2 March 2020: London

If you are interested in talking at this symposium about the practical management of innovative study designs then please contact us via info@rdforum.org.uk

Further details & booking

Professional Learning & Development

A practical application of monitoring in a health care setting
Date: 30 September – 1st October 2019
Location: Birmingham NEC

This course is aimed at individuals and organisations that deliver non-commercial research in a healthcare setting. It explores the application of monitoring as a quality assurance tool, focuses on skills for monitoring and provides an understanding of risk-based monitoring in order to ensure high quality research in the NHS.

This is a practical two-day course delivered by experienced monitors who work in the NHS. Sessions include slide presentations but are primarily practical and interactive. An essential workbook will be provided to all delegates.

Book Now

Essentials of NHS research 
Date: 4th – 5th November 2019
Location: Birmingham

This course is designed for any role at all levels when new to a health care R&D department. The course might also be of interest to colleagues in industry, academia and the third sector that would like to better understand managing NHS Research or just for those who need to keep updated.

This course was previously known as ‘Research the Basics’ but evaluation feedback consistently told us that it wasn’t really basic. Updated material includes a whole new look package of essentials for anyone looking for a complete overview of NHS R&D management.

Book Now

Forum courses ‘in-house’

All courses on the Forum programme can be tailored to serve local needs and settings. If you would like a course delivered in your organisation please contact info@rdforum.org.uk

Forum Round Up

Our Forum response to the PIC consultation 

Our Forum response to the consultation “Incentivising NHS organisations to act as PICs in research” has been submitted to the NIHR CRN for inclusion in their report to the DHSC.

Thank you to all who sent in considered views. We received 80 responses to the survey and held a teleconference with working group members to formulate our response. We also received emails and discussed in various group meetings.

Read the Forum Response here

Forum Community SHORT Survey: Finding out your needs 

We have launched a very short community survey to hear about your issues, challenges, priorities and needs. It is very quick and easy to complete. Please complete this to help us work and share things that are most relevant to you. We will find UK-wide solutions, seek out support and work on resources to help.

We will also feedback to policy makers all the things you would like us to say and share the findings with you and therefore will be asking you on a regular basis to let us know.

Complete the Forum Community Survey

Activities this month 

This month we held our quarterly service user and carers group meeting where we discussed co-applicancy, changes to the landscape, the Forum PIC response and our priorities for PPI across Forum workstreams.

We held the Forum Executive Group meeting, which looks at the strategic progress and governance of the Forum as an organisation. At the meeting we discussed developing group structures and setting work plans for the four key themes, a review of progress and all activities, finance and our plans for ongoing conversations with the group chairs. All working groups will be reviewing their contributions to the Forum themes during 2019-2020.

Forum Members attended the HRA champions and HRA external learning reference group meetings, where the transparency strategy and learning for data driven technologies were discussed.

Forum trainer Allyson Bailey delivered 2 separate Capacity and Capability training days to Welsh R&D staff, and chaired the learning and development oversight group teleconference.

The Forum learning & development oversight group worked on applications for new trainers, and discussed a framework for professionalising the workforce. Following an application process we are pleased to welcome Karen Eade, Head of R&D at James Paget, as a new Forum trainer for Local Capacity & Capability Review. The AcoRD training team is working hard on content for a course in Northern Ireland and Wales and will be ready to open a new date for England shortly.

We responded to the PIC incentivisation survey, feedback on ETCs and CQC inspection and developed the symposium agendas.

Feedback to the CQC 

A teleconference was held with the CQC, NIHR CRNCC and members of the community who have experienced a CQC well led inspection since research was included, in October 2018. The feedback received was really valued and will form part of an ongoing conversation, which we will continue to share with you. The following has been shared with us as a result of some queries raised by the Forum working group members:

NIHR CRN Well Led Champions 

The CRN is identifying Well Led Champions for each LCRN team and we have been made aware of some concerns about this. These are not new positions but a voluntary responsibility added to an existing post internal to each LCRN. Their role is to link with all LCRN staff to ensure they are up to date and fully aware of the Well Led context as it applies to research and defined by the CQC. The Champions are supported nationally by the CRN CC’s NHS Engagement team, which has been working closely with the CQC and partners to improve the profile of research in the NHS. For the CRN this internal champion function is important to well informed support and collaboration in normal interaction with NHS Trusts.

Network champions should therefore support the Trust R&D function, as partner organisations. The Trust R&D function continues in its remit to enable the organisation to be well-led through embedded research and in preparation for CQC inspection. We will continue to work together as national partners in the sharing of good practice in this regard. All resources can be found via keyword search CQC in the Forum Resources Exchange

Meetings coming up in August

In between the summer holidays Forum meetings this month include:

1st August: RDF20 Programme Content Group TC
2nd August: Non-commercial Sponsors Group Symposia planning
2nd August: AcoRD Masterclass Northern Ireland
12th August: Forum meeting with Louise Wood
15th August: ETC feedback group
22nd August: CCR advisory group

Meeting with Louise Wood

Members of the Forum are meeting with Louise Wood, Director of Science, and Research & Evidence at the Dept., Health & Social Care on the 12th August. Any responses we have received to the Forum survey in time for the meeting will help to inform our conversation with her.

Calls from the community

R&D structures/organograms

Members have asked for examples of varying structures/organograms for R&D and we would like to include examples in the resources exchange. If you have them ready to share please send into us at info@rdforum.org.uk

Please send any shared learning around the following top topics:

• Moving funds across organisations for ETCS
• Research in Primary Care Networks/Integrated Care Systems
• Electronic archiving
• MHRA lab inspections
• Sponsoring phase 1 studies
• Making the case for research to the Trust

A vendor assessment tool for GMP of Phase 1 CTIMP 

A Trust Sponsor is looking to select a vendor for the manufacturer of an IMP in a Phase 1 CTIMP and needs reassurance of good manufacturing practice. If you are able to help please email info@rdforum.org.uk

We are collating experiences and resources on any of these topics and so if you have anything to share of benefit to others please get in touch via info@rdforum.org.uk

NEW group to support Forum communications

Are you in an R&D office or department in a communications role and interested in helping the Forum communications strategy?

We are looking to set up a Forum expert communications group to support and inform all the Forum communications. We will meet virtually by teleconference in the first instance but we may hold an occasional face-to-face meeting. We envisage the group will also act as an important community of practice and support for those who are in this role.

If you are interested in joining this new group and can commit to helping us shape our Communications Strategy, please contact us at info@rdforum.org.uk

A place is available for a member from a Primary Care R&D office to join the Primary Care & Commissioning working group 

The primary care & commissioning working group have a place for one other R&D manager or member of the workforce from a Primary Care Research Office. If you are interested and can commit to attending our meetings in London please contact group chair Clare.symms@nhs.net with an outline of your role and interest.

Read all the latest regulatory news and updates in the MRC Regulatory Support Centre quarterly newsletter

The quarterly newsletter can be found here

New transparency strategy for research

The Health Research Authority (HRA) in association with the devolved administrations, has launched a consultation on research transparency

The Forum will be submitting a response in order to help develop this important strategy, which will have implications for researchers, sponsors, funders, patients and the public.

Any considerations for this response can be emailed to info@rdforum.org.uk

Contributions can also be made directly to HRA via an online survey, or as part of a series of face-to-face workshops in Manchester, London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, and more information is available here The consultation will run for 12 weeks until September 2019.

This is an important piece of work so do feed in and #makeitpublic.

ETC thresholds – letter to Directors of Finance 

A letter has been sent to Provider Trust Directors of Finance, confirming the ETC thresholds for the coming year. Please find the letter here

Resource Exchange

New resources in REX this month include:

• NIHR Health Services Research toolkit: A new toolkit to support researchers deliver high quality health services research
• HRA tissue banks FAQ
• Updated radiation guidance from HRA
• Nuffield Council Bioethics Briefing: Patient access to experimental treatments
• Nuffield Council Bioethics Briefing: Medical Implants
• Deming, data and observational studies (article)
• A guide to reporting protocols of pilot & feasibility trials
• Development and evaluation of decision aids for people considering taking part in a clinical trial: a conceptual framework (article)
• MHRA blog: Electronic Health Records

View the latest additions to the Resource Exchange here

New NHS trust tops clinical research league table for first time in 8 years 

Congratulations to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust for topping the CNR league tables for the first time this year and to all the organisations who have made great progress this year. Full details can be found here

We are delighted that Kate Blake, Director of R&D Strategy at Guys will form part of a panel discussion at our embedding symposium in October.

Congratulations to the 15 ARCs awarded £135 million 

Congratulations to all the 15 new ARCS who have been awarded a share of the £135 million investment funds recently announced

In July 2019, the NIHR announced a £135 million investment in 15 new NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs), to support applied health and care research that responds to, and meets, the needs of local populations and local health and care systems. The 15 ARCs are listed here

NIHR Funding Opportunities

Health and Care Research Wales Funding Opportunities

Click for more information

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