February 2024 Newsletter
Date: 29 February 2024
Welcome to the Forum February 2024 Newsletter
We have 29 days in February!
Numbers are important and we all have an extra day to work this month and to promote, support and influence all aspects of research.
Numbers are important for our annual conference RDF24 too, and we already have nearly 700 people registered to join us on the 12-14th May in Wales.
However even more important than the actual numbers – whether it be time worked, patients recruited to research projects, or those at the RDF24 – is the quality that the R&D Forum community deliver. So on the extra day and in Wales, the breadth and depth of the promotion of and passion for research, networking and learning is all what it is about.
Remember – we are all more than a number.
Have a good month folks!
Shona Haining
Trustee, R&D Forum
RDF24 Programme Announced
The R&D Forum is delighted to announce that the conference programme for RDF24 is now available.
RDF24 will see full two days of content, conference dinner and awards, as well as two workshops on Sunday followed by networking, not to mention a poster display throughout the main two days. View the programme here.
NIHR Capital Investment Call 2023/24 – Joint R&D Forum/UKRD letter
In January 2024, the Research and Development Forum and UKRD wrote a joint letter to NIHR to share observations and seek clarification around the NIHR Capital Investment Call 2023/24 that was launched earlier that month.
The Research and Development Forum and UKRD had a call with the Department of Health and Social Care following our letter, and we would like to share with our communities the outcome of that discussion to ensure transparency, openness and your continued support as we work together nationally to deliver the UKs Life Sciences Vision.
Research and Development Forum Survey on training needs
The ECMC Network caught up with Angela Topping, Chair of The R&D Forum.
Angela has previously worked with the ECMC network and the interview is about her new chair role and thoughts on how The R&D Forum and ECMC Network can continue to work together.
The UK R&D Contacts Directory – Please Review and Update Details
The R&D Forum has provided training for a number of years. Our courses are written by experts on the subject, have often been developed and delivered by members of the R&D Forum community, and the catalogue is to a greater extent driven by you, the members.
The Executive Team have been looking at the provision, and feel that it is timely to review, and to scope the training available from other providers. We have had conversations with a number of providers about partnerships and a much more collaborative approach to training provision, along with addressing the gaps.
To this end, we’d like to ask you what you need. Please would you complete the following short survey and let us know if you’d be willing to join a Task and Finish Group to develop the strategic direction of the R&D Forum Training provision for the future.
Research Communications Working Group – new chair
Adam Shepphard, Communications Lead for Research and Innovation at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, has been selected to act as Chair for the Research Communications Working Group. Adam was a founding member of the Research Communications Working Group and the R&D Forum Trustees welcome him to the position of Chair.
The purpose of the Research Communications Working Group is to discuss and develop best practice for research communications; to share ideas and issues; and support policymakers and the R&D Forum to implement consistent policies and guidance related to research communications. If you are interested in joining this group please email info@rdforum.org.uk
Working Group of the Month – Primary Care and Commissioning
The aim of the group is to provide support, share best practice and solutions and to work with key stakeholders to influence the development of key policies and guidance and champion research in Primary Care and within commissioning organisations. The Working Groups is chaired by Clare Symms, Head of Research Management and Finance for NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The group is made up of a wide range of individuals who support research in Primary Care settings together with our key stakeholders, including the Health Research Authority (HRA), NHS England and the CRN Co-ordinating Centre (CRN CC).
Key areas of work and impact:
- Information governance considerations in Primary Care – Led to development of a regular Primary Care IG working group with CRN CC and HRA; and representation on the NIHR Digital Subgroup
- Linking in with the CRN Primary Care strategy and members now sitting on a number of strategy sub-groups
- Worked with NHS England on the research guidance for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs)
- Work with DHSC to feed into the changes to the Research Capability Funding (RCF) guidance as a result of the move to ICBs
We are keen to hear from the wider forum on any work they are undertaking within their ICSs around research and are happy for members to raise any topics of interest that they feel the group might be able to help with. We are also happy to take expressions of interest from anyone who would like to join the group, please write to us via the main R&D Forum email address.
Find out more about our Working Groups here.
Upcoming Courses
The R&D Forum courses have been designed to support individual development in health research management, support, and leadership.
Bookings are open for our upcoming courses taking place this March:
Full details of all our courses and events, and how to book your place, can be found on our website.
NIHR Updates
- The NIHR CRN’s Open Data Platform (ODP) How To Training Videos
- Pre-funding Feasibility Assessments (PFFA)
- Research Delivery Network
- Research leadership opportunities for nurses
- Community Engagement in Health and Care Research
- Ensuring your studies still meet Terms and Conditions for NIHR CRN support
- NIHR Research Delivery Network microsite
Government response to the Independent Review of Research Bureaucracy
This independent review, launched in March 2021, was led by Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham. The final report draws together the overall scope and context for the review and presents findings and recommendations across different aspects of the research system.
The response provides a roadmap on how the sector will work together to reshape the research system to maximise efficiency and productivity and prevent the build-up of any new unnecessary bureaucracy going forward.
The R&D Forum welcome the response and the relevant Working Groups, such as Research Contracts, AI and Data, Finance and Non-Commercial sponsorship, look forward to working with funders, organisations and researchers to reshape the bureaucracy in research system, making it leaner, more user-friendly and more productive.
Read more here
Updates to the commercial and non-commercial model agreements
The October 2023 commercial agreements and guidance have been updated by the Four Nations Contracts Leads following feedback from commercial sponsors, CROs and NHS Trusts.
ICR Ethics and Good Clinical Practice Forum
Join the ICR’s bi-annual Ethics and GCP Forum on Fri, 19 Apr 2024 09:30-16:00 in person to hear the latest on UK Clinical Research from Lord O’Shaughnessy, MHRA, HRA, NHS R&D and more.
Results of the Cancer Research UK 2023 Survey of the UK Clinical Research Workforce
Cancer Research UK has just published the full findings from their 2023 Survey of the UK Clinical Research Workforce. They have also published an accompanying article setting out why the next UK government needs to prioritise clinical research.
International Clinical Trials and Methodology Conference (ICTMC 2024)
The International Clinical Trials and Methodology Conference (ICTMC 2024) is being held in Edinburgh later this year, 30th September– 3rd October 2024. ICTMC, ICTMC 2024 – International Clinical Trials Methodology Conference, is the biggest academic-led conference on clinical trials methodology. It is organised by the MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP).
Contacting the R&D Forum
As a reminder, should you need to contact the Forum the best way is via email which is info@rdforum.org.uk
The latest job vacancies displayed on our website.