February 2022 Newsletter
Date: 28 February 2022
Welcome to the Forum February 2022 Newsletter
Welcome to your February newsletter. Hopefully you have all come through the recent storms relatively unscathed.
Efforts to recover research activity, curtailed due to Covid, has been very demanding for many. We know that R&D staff have been working extremely hard under difficult circumstances to restart paused studies while also trying to set up new studies joining the portfolio. Please read the letter (below) from Louise Wood and Lucy Chappell on urgent action being taken to address the research delivery challenges in the NHS. The Forum is one of the stakeholders consulted and we are represented on the Portfolio Task and Finish Group developing options for a sustainable way forward. We expect more information to be available in early March, and we will keep you informed.
Thank you to all of you who helped to deliver the mCDA (model confidentiality disclosure agreement) which is now available on the HRA website. Thank you also to everyone who responded to the joint Forum/ARMA survey and we will bring you more details about the responses once analysed.
Best Regards,
Maria Palmer
Director, NHS R&D Forum
ACTION – To Address the Current Research Delivery Challenges in the NHS
We have received a formal letter from Professor Lucy Chappell CEO and Dr Louise Wood, Deputy CEO from National Institute for Health Research providing an update on the continued efforts to support the delivery of research and our commitment to support a diverse and balanced portfolio of studies.
We would encourage everyone to take a moment to read the letter in full.
Working Across the Academic/NHS Interface in Research – Update
Thank you to those in the R&D Community who took time to respond to the recent survey – Working Across the Academic/NHS interface in research. We received over 250 responses to the survey from colleagues working across the interface which is just excellent. ARMA and NHS R&D Forum are currently going through the data to see how best we can support the R&D community working in this complex space. Huge thanks to those who also expressed an interest to support the work going forward.
New Forum Group
A new group is starting for those involved in NIHR portfolio research outside of NHS settings e.g. Public Health, Social Care, Care Homes, and Hospices.
This is a growing area of activity, and the purpose of the group is to provide peer support, share best practice and solutions, and to form a united voice to advocate where helpful adjustments could be implemented by our partners (e.g. DH&SC, NIHR, HRA, PHE).
The Non-NHS R&D Group will be chaired by Paul Roy, Research Manager at NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG (BNSSG CCG).
28th February
This one-day 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.
Book Here
Essentials of Research Sponsorship
1st March
This course is designed to provide the essentials to become and/or improve the management of clinical research as a sponsor. A one day course that will provide an opportunity to develop skills and gain knowledge in the underlying principles of sponsorship. The course covers widely accepted concepts that not only directly apply to sponsorship but are transferable to other areas of the research industry.
Book Here
AcoRD Practitioner
28th March
The set up of non-commercial studies in the UK requires cost attribution in accordance with DHSC AcoRD Guidance. The ability to attribute research activities swiftly is critical to ensuring the correct funding streams fund the research appropriately and that projects run well across all sites. A skilled AcoRD specialist plays an important role and this course complements a package of training to support them as well as those in R&D roles and Sponsor teams who advise researchers in their applications for funding.
Book Here
Essentials of NHS Research
4th & 5th May
The updated material includes a whole new look package of essentials for anyone looking for a complete overview of NHS R&D management.
This is a two day course. The first day covers the overall research landscape and the legislation and regulations that govern it, as well as the various aspects of research management and governance. Day two concentrates more on the design, development and management of a research project, as well as looking at wider issues of leadership and strategy. The course is a mixture of traditional trainer presentation with interactive activities and discussions.
Book here
Regulatory Inspection Ready
9th May
This one-day 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.
Book here
Local Capacity and Capability for Research
30th May
A 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.
Book here
RDF 2022 Events Schedule
To view what else we have planned for the rest of the year, please click below. Courses up to March are only available to book right now, but we will open the booking pages for April & May, events in due course.
Healthcare Science Innovation Fellowship
The Healthcare Science Innovation Fellowships Programme is an opportunity for qualified Healthcare Scientists working within the NHS in England and Wales, with at least 1 year of post-qualification experience.
The programme will provide experience of the innovation process, focusing on digital technologies for diagnosis or monitoring, equipping Fellows with the knowledge, skills and confidence for the development, evaluation and implementation of new technologies, and the ability to initiate and lead their own technology innovation projects in the future.
Host departments of Fellows will be awarded a £15K Innovation Fellows bursary to cover auditable costs associated with the Fellowship, and Fellows will have access to blended project–based and online learning and training resources and mentoring to undertake a technology innovation project relevant to their department.
Wessex REACH Initiative – training/mentorship/funding support
Are you interested or involved in research?
The Wessex REACH Initiative is an NIHR funded Incubator working to increase health and social care research capacity in the Wessex region. To help ensure that everyone has access to the training and support they need, we are undertaking a series of group discussions to explore experiences of accessing training/mentoring/funding opportunities. All discussions will be held online.
The mCDA(Confidential Disclosure Agreement)
This document has now been published on the IRAS website, and can be viewed on the link below.
NIHR Updates
- Celebrating Clinical Research Practitioners
- Could you be a Research Delivery Leader?
- NIHR CRN Primary Care Learning Event
- Student Nursing Times Awards Clinical Research Category
- Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and NIHR Clinical Research Network Awards 2022
- Intensive Care Society (ICS) and NIHR Clinical Research Network Awards 2022
- PANORAMIC: UK’s fastest ever recruiting trial of its kind
- Coming soon: CPMS release 5 – a new look, and a new service integration module and online SoECAT
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.