December Newsletter 2018
Date: 3 January 2019
Did you know?
The Forum is…
- Made of individuals from the research management, research support and research leadership community who work in, with and for providers and commissioners of health and care across the UK
- Inclusive of service users and carers, individuals from partner organisations and universities and staff from non-traditional NHS settings.
- Free to join. Some members are very active taking part in working groups on behalf of others.
- A professional network & community of practice
Our Goals are:
- To make a difference – enabling high value, quality health research.
- That Community members engage and value the Forum
- That Partner organisations value our voice and our contribution
- That we are financially sustainable
Our goals will be met by working together to deliver our strategic aims. These are to collectively:
- LEAD – Driving solutions to problems & setting standards
- SHAPE – Influencing policy makers and partners as a professional voice
- HELP – Supporting each other in our daily roles
- CONNECT – Bringing members together from across the UK
- THRIVE – As both a network and a community
Did you read…?
The Forum Strategy Document 2017-2022
Link here for further information
The non-commercial sponsors symposium slide set and mind maps
Link here for further information
2019 Annual NHS R&D Forum Conference Update
Final Call for Posters. Deadline for abstracts by 31st December
The poster zone is one of the most popular places during the annual conference. We hope next year will be as vibrant as ever so please submit and give yourself the opportunity to win an RDF19 poster award. Previous posters can be viewed on the conference website.
The programme committee is keen to promote submissions from all organisations and roles and from across the whole of the UK. Thank you for all the brilliant abstracts for oral presentation, the programme group are reviewing them now.
Link Here
Professional Learning & Development
New Spring AcoRD Master class.
25thMarch, London 2019
£330 No Vat
Using materials agreed with the members of the DHSC non-commercial costing group this new important 1-day course will take an in-depth look at the AcoRD guidance and attribution in practice.
- Understand and apply AcoRD guidance correctly
- Understand the processes used for capturing all types of cost attribution including how these processes relate to external funding and other supported tools (e.g. Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Tool (SoECAT), the NIHR Annual Allocation, Specialist Commissioning etc)
- Appreciate attribution in the wider context including roles and responsibilities, NHS commissioning and the research management process.
This course is for Sponsors and R&D office staff, universities, non-commercial funders, finance teams, facilitators or grant advisors who are working with researchers on their cost attribution and completion of their SoECAT for funding applications.
Materials will contain all up to date information received from DHSC and the AcoRD specialist community so that Forum members are accessing consistent training. As this is intended to be a master class members should have completed the NIHR e learning course and have some practical experience before attending.
Link here for further information
New Course: Local Capacity and 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.
Link here for further information
Essentials of NHS Research
25th& 26th March, 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!
Link here
Data Management in a Health Care Setting
3rd April, London
NHS R&D Forum and the Association for Clinical Data Management (ACDM). All staff involved in the operational conduct or oversight of clinical research across NHS, academic and commercial research units including Data Managers, Study Monitors, Research Managers, Study Coordinators, sponsor representatives and other site staff. It is particularly relevant to Sponsor teams and CTU staff.
link here
Regulatory & Policy news:
New December briefing note and communication issued by NHSE for ETCS
There are a number of changes in the way CCGs, NHS England Specialised Commissioning and NHS providers are expected to manage excess treatment costs (ETCs) related to non-commercial research.
Link here for further information
Title: Updated AcoRD Annex B: FAQs have now been published on the NIHR website:
Link here for further information
The Government publishes 2nd Life Sciences Sector Deal with support for clinical research in the NHS.
The Forum welcomes publication of this second sector deal and specifically the role of the NHS, clinical trials, research and data valued within it. This deal represents the commitment that the life sciences industry makes in partnership with Government in order to meet the ambitious goals within the life sciences industrial strategy itself.
We look forward to supporting the implementation of this deal. Working with partners the Forum has committed to supporting delivery of the deal as part of the skills package for novel and innovative trials, embedding this within our work and activities in 2019.
Professor Chris Whitty and Emma Lowe discuss the deal here in an article for the Pharma Times
Link to the article
Link to the Sector Deal
Link to the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy
Link here for further information
Academy of Medical Sciences report published “Our data driven future: People and partnerships at the heart of health related technologies”
This report published by the academy outlines a set of principles based on dialogues with patients, the public and healthcare professionals, for the development, evaluation and deployment of data-driven technologies in healthcare.
Link here for further information
ICO issues new data guidance in preparation for Brexit
The Information Commissioners Office has issued new data guidance to help organisations prepare for Brexit. The HRA news has further information and links to their GDPR webpages
Link here for further information
NICE publish Evidence standards framework for digital health technologies
Nice have developed a set of standards to ensure new technologies are clinically effective and offer economic value.
The aim of these standards is to make it easier for innovators and commissioners to understand what good levels of evidence for digital healthcare technologies look like, while meeting the needs of the health and care system, patients, and users.
Link here for further information
Prof Jonathan Montgomery to become Chair of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
Congratulations to Prof Jonathan Montgomery who has been appointed chair of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, taking over from Dame Fiona Caldicott when she steps down in March. Arrangements for his current post at the HRA will be made clearer in the New Year. Jonathan will be in conversation with Dame Fiona at our annual conference in Brighton – a plenary session certainly not now to be missed.
Link
Results of the HRA Transparency in Research Survey are Published
As discussed at the Forum non-commercial Sponsors symposium systems for ensuring research transparency must span the life cycle of a project.
The four pillars of research transparency described are:
- Registering research
- Publishing and disseminating findings and conclusions
- Giving access to the data and tissue used in the research
- Giving information at the end of research to participants
The survey explored current knowledge, progress in delivering transparency and feedback on what helps and what hinders.
Link to further information
You can continue to feed into the survey the ongoing work on transparency here
Link here for further information
Research Fish submission window opens 4th Feb to 14th March 2019. 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 4th February and close 4pm 14th March 2019 and so if you host awards there are a number of things you should do next.
Link here for further information
Around the Forum
Forum R&D Contacts Directory has an important role
Policy makers and research Sponsors use the information in the Forum R&D contacts Directory to send important information to organisations via their R&D departments. This month, for example, the NIHR CRNCC has used the listing to contact some Sponsors about their studies to complete remaining ETC study values in CPMS.
We are getting some Directory email addresses bouncing back and so please help us to keep this valuable resource up to date by checking your organisations details, junk mail and updating your email address where necessary.
Link here for further information
Forum Working Groups
This month members of the Forum have represented the community on partnership groups including the NHSE ETC feedback group, cCOG, HRA projects board & informal learning group. Members were also invited to attend the RQA and UKRD summit, which was invaluable for strengthening relationships
Working group meetings saw discussions with policy makers, including DHSC on the following:
- The Life sciences sector deal, including 5 centers for commercial research
- RCF funding
- The use of the SoECAT as an attribution tool
- Quality of information to R&D offices from Sponsors
- Evidence for commissioners
- Amendments
- Finance & Metrics
We helped to organise and host an AcoRD specialist-training day with the NIHR CRN, NIHR funders and representatives from across the Devolved Administrations enabling feedback and FAQS to be collated.
Members continue to keep a Strategic watch on the landscape to help prioritise areas of importance to the R&D community.
Work on outputs around adding value in research, non-disclosure agreements for commercial contract studies, Sponsorship, guidance for research managers around Service user and carers as co-applicants, training and conference planning continue.
HRA webinars of interest
10th January 2019
The HRA are running a couple of useful webinars on the 10th January including:
- Applying for HRA approval ‘Getting applications right first time’
- Understanding GDPR in relation to Health Research in the UK
- Managing your approval
Link here
Calls from the community
Share your experiences of CQC inspection and research
We would like to collate experiences of CQC inspection under the new framework including research.
If you have anything to share with colleagues around the entire process then please send them to kate.greenwood@rdforum.org.uk
Any top tips, preparation or lessons learned that might be useful please send them on.
The inspection framework and NIHR links for further information are here:
Link here for further information
Link here for further information
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.
New HRA bite sized e learning for students and their supervisors/sponsors
These helpful packages aim to improve the information provided to those students and supervisors who might be new to the processes in order to support them and avoid common errors.
Share these with student researchers and universities and to help them navigate the requirements to undertake research in NHS.
Link here for further information
Other News, Call & Funding
NIHR National survey for patients, carers, service users and the public involved in designing NIHR research/work to feedback on what it was like
This survey is for patients, service users, carers or members of the public who have been involved in NIHR’s work including: At an NIHR centre or facility. As a member of a local advisory group. Reviewing research applications. Being a co-applicant on a research study. Helping design, deliver and disseminate a research project as a Patient Research Ambassador
The survey is not about people’s experience of being a participant in a research study.
Please promote this survey or take part
NIHR Academy fellowship schemes
Research professorship schemes, Advanced Fellowships and Doctoral Fellowships available. Closing Nov/Dec
Link here for further information
NIHR Funding Opportunities
Link here for further information
New scheme for bringing consultants back into research
MRC & NIHR launch the Clinical Academic Research Partnership (CARP) scheme. By supporting NHS consultants to partner with outstanding research groups, CARP will contribute to the people and skills needed for the future: https://mrc.io/2RoJYPP
Health & Care Research Wales 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.
Latest News
Virtual Courses
