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November Newsletter 2018

Date: 29 November 2018

Did you know?

  • Members are supporting the partnership group led by NHSE and the Department of Health and Social Care, providing feedback from the community on the new system for the management of ETCs.
  • We are collaborating with partners across the 4 UK Nations to host an AcoRD master class in December for existing AcoRD specialists by invitation only. The materials from this course will be DHSC approved to form a new NHS R&D Forum course open to all R&D staff in the spring.
  • The Forum Directory is now open to University and other non-commercial Sponsors or R&D offices supporting the running of health research.  The Directory hosts R&D office contacts and is used by researchers and policy makers to contact R&D teams and the NIHR NETSCC team will use it to contact members about impact submissions through Researchfish and so please promote this facility to all.

Did you read…?

  • The Forum response to the DHSC RCF consultation, submitted in November 2017. Link for further information  The outcome of the review has just been published (see regulation and policy news below)
  • The slides from our Embedding Research Strategy and Culture in an Health Care Setting  Link for further information 

2019 Annual NHS R&D Forum Conference Update 


Call for abstracts – only a few days to go!

Oral abstracts by 1st December. Poster abstracts by 31st December.

Abstracts are absolutely critical to the Annual Forum conference. They ensure content is current and help to spread knowledge, innovation and learning.

The programme committee are looking for oral and poster presentations that relate to the process, the structure, improving efficiency, improving quality, promoting best practice or adding value in R&D studies, teams, departments or organisations. Please rally your colleagues and teams to submit. It is a great experience and keeps our community connected and current.

Link for further information 

Exhibitor Update

Exhibitor Zones A and B1 are sold out and stands are being booked in both remaining Zones B2 and C. We are pleased to welcome One Research and ThinkWrite as new exhibitors. You can see the list of current exhibitors here and information on sponsorship and exhibition stand booking can be found here.

Professional Learning & Development


New Course: Local Capability & Capability for Research
February 4th London

The learning & development group are delighted to launch this new one-day course designed to provide an understanding of the requirements of an NHS organisation when determining whether to take part in a particular research study as a host. It explains the principles of good study set up, the information required by the R&D office and where it can be obtained. It introduces delegates to the various systems and documents associated with research and also provides some guidance on developing relationships with key support departments and stakeholders within an NHS organisation.

The first half of the day concentrates on making delegates familiar with process. The second half is spent putting everything into practice working through an example study.Further details here

Regulatory Inspection Ready
Leicester, 29thJanuary 2019

This course is aimed at those who deliver research in a healthcare setting either in a Sponsor team or as a Host, and that maybe subject to regulatory inspection. Preparation for Inspection is critical but compliance driven from preparation rather than from quality systems can lead to poor practice and Inspection findings.

Further details here

Essentials of NHS Research 
25th& 26thMarch, Bristol

This is for all levels of role new to a health care R&D department, as well as colleagues in industry, academia and third sector that would like to better understand managing NHS Research.Content covers, understanding the landscape, policy, regulation, patient & public involvement, roles of R&D, capacity & capability, costing, AcoRD, contracts, safety, data, oversight, impact, strategy and more!

Further details here

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

Regulatory & Policy news:


Outcome of the DHSC RCF funding review

A letter has been sent to RCF recipient Finance Directors confirming the outcome of the RCF review. This letter, Q&A’s and scenarios illustrating the financial impact of planned future RCF policy from 2019/20 can be found on the RCF page on the NIHR website. If you have any questions relating to these forthcoming changes, please email them directly to claire.owen@dhsc.gov.uk

Link For Further Information

House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Report on Research Integrity plus HRA Statement 

An important report has been published by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and expresses concern that nearly half of clinical trials fail to publish their results. The Committee is calling for increased transparency and for the HRA to put measures in place ensure Sponsors improve reporting rates. Read the report and HRA responses here.

Link For Further Information HRA launch Phase 2 Radiation Assurance 

Following the successful roll-out of Phase 1 of Radiation Assurance and a subsequent period of reviewer recruitment, the HRA have opened Phase 2 of Radiation Assurance on Monday 12 November to all studies involving cardiology, neurology or rheumatology taking place in the NHS/HSC. Oncology studies will also still be accepted for review during Phase 2.

Link Here for Further Information 

Understanding the Impact of NIHR investment in Research 
Organisations that host NIHR research and personal awards (not infrastructure awards) are required to report annually through Researchfish whilst the award is active and for 5 years after completion.  The next submission window will open 4thFebruary and close 4pm 14thMarch 2019 and so if you host awards there are a number of things you should do next.

Link For Further Information 

MRC regulatory support centre update 
The MRC regulatory support centre has published its quarterly update, which you can read here.

Link For Further Information 

Research is now included in the CQC inspection framework for Trust-wide, well-led key question 

The Care Quality Commission have published the Well-Led Inspection Framework for NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts and Research is now recognised in W8 (p22-24). A dedicated webpage of FAQs and updates is available on the NIHR website.

Link Here For Further Information 

The well-led inspection framework can be accessed via the web address below. W8 p22-24:Are there robust systems and processes for learning, continuous improvement and innovation?

Link Here For Further Information

Around the Forum


Slides & blog summary from the Non-Commercial Sponsors Symposium 

On the 8thNovember 2018 we hosted the first NHS R&D Forum non-commercial Sponsors Symposium. The event brought together 95 Sponsors from across the NHS and HEI sectors and, it turned out, from across the world as we had Sponsor representation from the University of Auckland. Policy makers, CTU and funding partners, regulators, patients and researchers joined for a days exploration and sharing about what a good, non-commercial Sponsor looks like including some of the hot topics coming up for Sponsors right now.

The mind maps, collated thoughts from the day and do not reflect any agreed process, however the Non-commercial Sponsors working stream are committed to now working them up into a process for all.

Link For Slides Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Research & Innovation Conference 2018 – sharing our experience

The R&I team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals have written up their experience of running a research conference for the first time, including some top tips for others embarking on a similar journey.

Link Here For Further Information

Have Your Say


What are your thoughts on Amendments? 

We are interested to hear from R&D departments on their experiences around the management of amendments, particularly any issues affecting timely implementation.

Your views are still wanted on the local information submitted to R&D offices in England.

These items will be discussed with the HRA at our next Research Management working group on December 11thso please feedback your thoughts to kate.greenwood@rdforum.org.uk by December 9th

Please continue to feed your views on anything of interest or challenge to info@rdforum.org.uk or kate.greenwood@rdforum.org.uk

New Resources this month


  1. SOP for Registering and Reporting Research in a publicly accessible database. (NHS Tayside and Dundee University)
  2. Sponsorship procedures from North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) on
    1. Vendor Pre-qualification questionnaire
    2. Setting up new studies where NBT are the Sponsor
    3. Sponsor Risk Assessment
  3. Vivli: A Global clinical data sharing platform.
  4. MRCCTU Induction Pack for PPI Contributors on Trial Oversight Committees
  5. UKRIO & Royal Society, Integrity in Practice toolkit
  6. MHRA Sponsor oversight blog 2
  7. MHRA blog. Making GCP training relevant
  8. HQIP: A Guide for Clinical Audit, Research and Service Review — An educational toolkit designed to help staff differentiate between clinical audit, research and service reviewactivities
  9. Consort statement for reporting step wedged trials
  10. Teachers of evidence based health care:  Teaching Tips – Teaching randomisation
  11. Kristina Staley Series of blogs on PPI in research: Time for a new direction
  12. Bella Starling Blog: Growing pains (or growth and leadership in public engagement with research)
  13. New BMJ paper: Research Waste is still a scandal

View the latest additions to the Resource Exchange here

Please send in your tools, resources and helpful links. You can submit them directly here or send to info@rdforum.org.uk. Just one resource from every organisation would really make a difference and help to keep us all current.

Other News, Call & Funding 


NIHR Academy fellowship schemes 

Research professorship schemes, Advanced Fellowships and Doctoral Fellowships available. Closing Nov/Dec.

Link For Further Information 

NIHR Funding Opportunities 

Link Here For Further Information

Latest Jobs


There are lots of new jobs this month – see here.
Please submit your latest vacancies and we will also tweet them out.

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