June 2025 Newsletter
Date: 30 June 2025
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Welcome to the Forum June 2025 Newsletter
Welcome to the June edition of the R&D Forum newsletter.
Suddenly it’s June, half the year has gone, and summer is well and truly here. And what a year it has been for the NHS and the R&D Community.
Great things have happened; the R&D Conference was the biggest ever thanks to the hard work and tenacity of the planning group, and all our sponsors, attendees and speakers.
Hazel Carter, MND Association Trustee and author, made us all realise the reason why we work in research, and just how much is still to be done. Her description of the hope that she and her husband felt when he was offered the chance to take part in a new clinical trial touched the heart of audience, as did the sadness when the progression of his disease left him ineligible to take part.
Hopefully you all felt that this was an event for the community which was planned, delivered and enjoyed by the community. In many ways it seems that research has never had a higher profile, except perhaps during the pandemic. We want you all involved in developing next year’s event, which may be different from previous conferences, but will still have you all at its centre.
Candid conversations were had with the powers that be, and whilst sometimes challenging, the voice of the community is being heard, and we are being listened to, which must be the way forward. Most recently thanks to a letter from NHSE, we are now exempt from some of the financial scrutiny and oversight that many colleagues endure, with respects to advertising and recruiting to posts in particular, yet we don’t see ourselves as special, just different.
Following the Chancellor’s funding review, the NHS came off better than most public services. This must give us some optimism for the future. There are indeed new targets and metrics, but perhaps we need to consider this as an opportunity to succeed and show, given the right circumstances, just what research teams can do.
Hoping that you all manage to get a well-earned break from the day job, and return refreshed, for the busy months ahead.
Margaret Cooper
R&D Forum Trustee
RDF26 – Save The Date
The Trustees are happy to announce that RDF26 will be taking place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole 10th-12th May 2026.
What the conference looks and feels like will be informed by you, as the R&D Forum exists because of you.
For now, please save the date, and keep an eye out in the coming months for calls for abstracts, how to book and keynote speakers.
The R&D Forum attend ARMA 2025
On behalf of the R&D Forum, trustees Sean Scott and Shahista Hussain attended and exhibited at the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA) annual conference on 17 -19 June in Edinburgh.Colleagues from across the UK and around the globe who work in research management came together to learn and share knowledge through a mix of workshops, plenary sessions, exhibitions and networking opportunities.
Working Group Update – RDF / UKRD UK Research Finance Working Group
Susan Keenan has chaired the RDF / UKRD UK Research Finance Working Group for six years. This influential Working Group has strong links with the government who seek its views when developing national policies. Susan recently announced she is stepping down as Chair of the Working Group in September 2025, but she intends to continue within the network as a regular member.
Angela Topping, R&D Forum Chair of Trustees would like to this opportunity to thank Susan for all her work and support for the R&D Forum. A new Chair of the Working Group will be appointed, with an announcement expected in September 2025.
Good Documentation Practice (GDocP) – Leeds, 10th July 2025
Join us for the first iteration of this one-day, in-person course which provides advanced clinical records management expertise taking participants through all the key requirements for creating, reviewing, approving, finalising, managing, storing and archiving / preserving essential documents, records, and research data.
Trustee of the Month – Shona Haining
This is a monthly feature for our community to meet and find out more about our Trustees. Meet Shona Haining, R&D Forum Trustee and Strategic Head of Research & Evidence at North East & North Cumbria ICB.
R&D Updates
- Team Science Camp Cohort 3 Applications Open
- Unprecedented boost for clinical trials under 10 Year Health Plan
- NIHR CEO on Racism in medical research
- Red4Research additional call for research teams – Share your study with thousands of research ready volunteer as part of Be Part of Research
- New Research Learning Lecture virtual event on Thursday 10th July – Register for a free ticket on EventBrite now
- Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework Bursary Applications Close Soon
HRA Update: Developing digital services
The HRA are developing new digital services that will make it easier for research applications to be submitted, reviewed and approved in the UK.
As the HRA progress this work, they will move users away from the systems currently used to apply for, approve and manage research including:
- Integrated Research Approvals System (IRAS)
- HRA Assessment Review Portal (HARP)
- Over-Volunteering Prevention System (TOPS)
The HRA are looking for volunteers to help test the new digital services. If you’re a current user or work in services that help deliver research, the HRA would love to hear from you.
HRA Update: Updated amendment tool – important update for research sponsors
The HRA have updated the amendment tool on IRAS Help to version 1.8. This tool is used to categorise and submit amendments to project-based research studies.
The updated tool has reinstated the EudraCT field, so a EudraCT number can be entered.
The HRA have noted that some sponsors are still using an older version of the tool, so please visit IRAS Help for the latest version and details on how to use it.
HRA Update: Get involved in the Inclusion and Diversity guidance pilot
In September 2024 The HRA launched an informal consultation to ask for feedback on the first draft of their newly developed guidance for how to develop an Inclusion and Diversity Plan.
The Inclusion and Diversity Plan is a document to be developed by sponsors and researchers when planning a clinical trial or investigation.
The set of questions in our guidance will help researchers and sponsors to consider and demonstrate how they will include a diverse range of people that is relevant for their trial when developing their study.
The HRA now have a second draft of the guidance, and they are looking for sponsors and researchers to take part in the pilot, which will involve developing a Plan and submitting it as part of an application for review by a Research Ethics Committee.
HRA Update: New pharmacy set-up pilot opening
The HRA are looking for sponsors to take part in a new pilot designed to test a streamlined study set-up pathway and mandated UK wide Pharmacy Technical Assurance process within early-phase oncology trials via the ECMC network.
The pilot aims to remove unnecessary duplication and support sponsors to provide the right information, to the right people, at the right time, to enable sites to focus on the parts of set-up that only they can do.
This will include testing a new framework of additional guidance and support, to help sponsors and sites work together in a consistent way.
HRA Update: Updated model Commercial Chief Investigator Agreement and CRO version published
An updated version of the model Commercial Chief Investigator Agreement (mCCIA) has been published for use.
The agreement has been amended based on feedback received after the first template was published in April. A Contract Research Organisation (CRO) version on the mCCIA is also now available for use where the CRO will be a party to the agreement.
The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025
The UK Government has now published ‘The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy’.
The Life Sciences Sector plan will prioritise 6 headline actions, supported by funding from Government, UKRI and NIHR to:
- Realise a Health Data Research Service (HDRS)
- Reduce trial approval times to under 150 days
- Back manufacturing with up to £520m through the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund
- Streamline regulation and market access
- Introduce low-friction procurement
- Partner with industry to increase growth and innovation
#Red4Research – Thank You To The Community
#Red4Research took place on Friday 20th June 2025. #Red4Research Day aims to get as many people as possible wearing red to demonstrate their support and appreciation for all those participating, undertaking and supporting research. It was great to see the many community posts and photos supporting the campaign – thank you to all our community for their incredible efforts to highlight the campaign.
It was wonderful to showcase and celebrate the phenomenal work, learning legacy and innovative treatments/systems/techniques that have arisen from R&D.
We have included a montage of a selection of just some of our favourite moments – there were so many from the photos and videos shared.
One of Scotland’s most unique visitor attractions, Clydebank’s iconic, 150-foot-tall Titan Crane lit up in stunning red to mark Red 4 Research. Read the story below.
RDF Resource Exchange
Resources from The Research and Development Forum are there to support health and care research in the UK.
A new resource, “Patient Information Sheet Guidelines for researchers” has been submitted. Please view this here.
Browse the Resources available to the RDF below.
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