April 2024 Newsletter
Date: 29 April 2024
Welcome to the Forum April 2024 Newsletter
It’s finally feeling like Spring is in swing, with new life emerging in the hedgerows and fields, and our newsletter this month is full of new guidance, new networks and initiatives, and new opportunities to join us a trustee. We want to encourage applications, particularly from my colleagues in devolved administrations, to offer your support to continue the great work the Research and Development Forum does to reflect the voice of the R&D community from all nations across the UK. It’s a really great way to broaden your network and awareness of the wider system, and develop skills you never knew you had!
We also have a spring in our step as we are now only a couple of weeks away from our Annual Conference, taking place at Celtic Manor in Newport. For those attending (over 850 of you!), we have a packed programme offering insights and discussions, as well as opportunities to network and prioritise your wellbeing too. If you aren’t able to make it this year, we will miss you, but we’ll be sharing posters and presentations after the event so look out for that.
Nicola Williams
Trustee, The Research and Development Forum
FINAL REMINDER – Research and Development Forum Trustee – Expression of Interest – Closing date Friday 3rd May
We are seeking to appoint up to three new trustees who possess the skills, knowledge and experience needed to join the Board of Trustees of the charity that leads the work of the Research and Development Forum (Charity 1189876) and take the R&D Forum forward. The Board is there to represent the communities it is there to serve, so applications are welcome from across the Health and Care System.
One gap we have identified is representation from the Devolved Administrations. We are actively encouraging applications from those working in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. To apply please submit a covering letter and 2 page CV (including 2 references), along with the RDF Skills Matrix and Personal Qualities Form.
Closing Date Friday 3rd May 2024.
For more information and to access the Skills Matrix and Personal Qualities Form, visit our website below.
Over 850 Booked for RDF24
The Research and Development Forum is excited to welcome over 850 members of the R&D Community to Celtic Manor for RDF24.
Taking place from 12th-14th May, RDF24 will bring together the UK wide professional community in research management, support & leadership in health and care. The programme will see full two days of content, conference dinner and awards, two workshops on the Sunday followed by networking, and a poster display throughout the main two days.
Call for comments on new study agreement template
The Health Research Authority (HRA), in collaboration with the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and the R&D Forum, are calling for comments on the draft of a new study agreement template.
The draft Investigator Initiated Study Agreement is proposed for future use between non-commercial sponsors and commercial organisations providing support for investigator-initiated trials.
The draft has been developed by the Research and Development Forum Research Contracts Working Group, who are practising NHS contract managers. The Working Group has had support from the UK Four Nations contracts leads, who are responsible for maintaining the UK model research agreements available on IRAS – the online platform used for processing research applications for approval.
#Red4Research – Friday 7th June 2024
Reminder that it is #Red4Research Day on Friday 7th June 2024.
Red4Research aims to get as many people as possible wearing red to demonstrate their support and appreciation for research and all those participating, undertaking and supporting it. It is an opportunity to showcase the work, learning legacy and the new, innovative, research system/techniques that have arisen from R&D and now embedded as everyday clinical practice.
Download the #Red4Research resources from The R&D Forum website to get involved.
Sustainability Working Group
The Trustees of the R&D Forum are committed to reduce its carbon footprint and support the ambition of a net zero UK health care system. As part of this we are keen to develop a Sustainability Working Group. This group would help support the research, development and innovation community with net zero strategy and implementation, work with partners and stakeholders, share best practice, and help the community remain updated on the latest national developments.
If you are interested in joining this group please email: info@rdforum.org.uk
Working Group of the Month – AI and Data Research Working Group
The AI and Data Research Working Group is a professional community of NHS/Higher Education Research and Development and Information Governance staff from across the UK that meets online bi-monthly. The group discusses the secondary use of patient data for research and technological innovation, such as AI development. In this rapidly evolving and expanding field, group members benefit from sharing experiences, best practice, documentation and information about the latest guidance, policy and legislation.
Adam Loveday, Data and AI Research Governance Lead at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is chair of the AI and Data Working Group.
Find out more about this group 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 in June:
- 3rd: Essentials of NHS Research (Virtual Course)
- 7th: Essentials of Research Sponsorship (In-Person)
- 24th: Local Capacity and Capability for Research (Virtual Course)
Full details of all our courses and events, and how to book your place, can be found on our website.
NIHR Updates
- NIHR Commercial Research Delivery Centres
- Renewing the NIHR’s commitment to public partnerships
- Three outputs from UK Commercial Costing Reference Group Spring meeting
- New customer-focussed web content to help Life Science Companies understand NIHR support
- Record-breaking study enrolment via Be Part of Research
- Public attitudes to commercial research
- Community engagement Pilot programme
- New course on NIHR Learn
Senior leader changes in DHSC for RRG and O’Shaughnessy commitments
Emma Lowe, Head of Clinical Research Delivery at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will be leaving her role at the end of April to take up the role of Transformation Director in the new NIHR Research Delivery Network. We wish to thank Emma for all her support of the R&D Forum over the years in this role, and wish her all the best for her new role. We look forward to working with her closely around the evolving research landscape.
NHS England has published Managing Research Finance in the NHS
NHS England have published Managing Research Finance in the NHS, a how to guide on managing finances associated with commercial and non-commercial research.
Good financial management is a key part of effective delivery of research in the NHS and this guide provides practical information on costing research and the use of income generated by research to support building research capacity and capability.
The guide includes lots of real-world examples across a range of organisation types in primary, community and secondary care.
The RDF/UKRD Finance Working Group provided valuable insights and experience into this document, which we hope will be of benefit to the community.
Guidance for NHS trusts and foundation trusts: assessing the well-led key question
This is newly published guidance from CQC and NHS England for NHS trusts on assessing the Well Led question.
This is explicit on the importance of using research, and the role that proactive healthcare knowledge and library services play in well led organisations to improve education, lifelong learning, research, the spread and adoption of innovation and evidence-based practice.
New public involvement pay guidance published
The Health Research Authority (HRA), in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Health and Care Research Wales, has launched new pay guidance for members of the public involved in research.
The ‘payment for public involvement in health and care research: a guide for members of the public on employment status and tax’ guidance aims to specifically help members of the public understand and know their rights and responsibilities on receiving payment for their involvement in research.
VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance Resource Library Launched
Each year, members of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance collaborate to undertake a range of health inequalities focused research and insight projects.
The aim of this resource library is to showcase and provide an accessible hub for all the important partnership work undertaken by members of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance from the VCSE sector.
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research Summer School 2024 (Online)
Are you wondering where to begin with Patient Public Involvement (PPI) in research? Are you brand new or just lack confidence when it comes to PPI and not sure how you should be doing it? Then the PPI Summer School is for you.
The course will provide you with the confidence and skills in PPI to enable you to undertake your first PPI activity or improve your current practice.
New Resources
Resources from The Research and Development Forum to support health and care research in the UK:
- Managing Research Finance in the NHS
- Self-Assessment of Organisational Readiness Tool (SORT)
- Guidance for NHS trusts and foundation trusts: assessing the well-led key question
Contacting The Research and Development 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.