The Research and Development Forum (RDF) consists of those in R&D management, support & leadership roles working in with and for providers and commissioners of health and care. Our network is broad and inclusive of patients and the public, non-traditional settings, joint research offices, higher education sponsor teams and more.
Members who volunteer their time lead the RDF, represent the R&D Forum community, and create our value, content and outputs.
The RDF Leadership Team
Representing the RDF to stakeholders, the team oversees the Forum strategy and leads areas of activity to move the work of the Forum forward as a body.
The Forum leadership team is made up of:
- Leadership Group
- Group Chairs
- Management Team
Forum Board of Trustees/ Leadership Group
The Board oversees the strategic direction and daily operations of the RDF as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and as a network. The Board is responsible for the governance and financial oversight of all activities, including communications and the conference and events programme. The CIO trustees are listed below, including the elected Chair Angela Topping.
Members:
- Shona Haining, Head of Research & Evidence, NECS
- Angela Ball, Independent consultant
- Angela Topping, Head of Newcastle Joint Research Office
- Carolyn Maloney, Research & Innovation Chief Operating Officer at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- Dipak Patel, Associate Director of Research & Innovation at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Margaret Cooper, Director of Research and Development at Tameside Integrated NHS Foundation Trust and Senior Research Strategy Lead at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
- Sean Scott, Regulatory Compliance Manager at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Shona Haining
Shona has worked in various R&D roles operationally and strategically in the North East for many years, mainly in Primary Care but also secondment or joint posts into secondary care, mental health and NHS England. Her current role is as Head of Research & Evidence for North of England Commissioning Support. She leads to deliver the research and evidence statutory duties of the 11 Clinical Commissioning Groups over the North East and North Cumbria. She is passionate about the professional and essential role research can play in the whole pathway of research from ideas to implementing outcomes to improve patient care.
Dr Angela Ball
Angela has worked in clinical research for about 20 years and has been associated with the forum since 2002. She has experience of managing research to meet U.K., USA and Middle Eastern compliance requirements. Angela was previously Assistant Executive Director of Business Development and Research at the Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha where she modernised their research management practices, established the corporation’s IRB and achieved accreditation against the JCI criteria. Prior to this she worked at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust where she was the Associate Director of Research, her role included the management of the research division which included facilities such as the research tissue bank, trials coordination unit, patient recruitment facilities and staff.
Angela Topping
Angela Topping has been a member of the NHS R&D Forum Executive since August 2021 and a Trustee of R&D Forum Charity since 2022. A Chartered Management Accountant by profession, she started her career in the NHS and moved to Newcastle University to become the Faculty Accountant in the Faculty of Medical Sciences in 1998. In 2002, she was promoted to Faculty Accountant, and in that time was responsible for not only the operational and strategic financial planning for the faculty, but also acted as the finance specialist in major capital developments including new programmes, investment in equipment and estate research infrastructure and the development and early operations of the Newcastle University campus in Malaysia. Angela took on a secondment opportunity in January 2018 as Head of Newcastle Joint Research Office (NJRO) and was appointed substantive in that role in September 2018. In that time, the NJRO has developed a culture of shared purpose, underpinned by foundations of trust, psychological safety, equality, diversity and inclusion and wellbeing. Angela is due to complete an MSc in Coaching and Mentoring in September 2023, is a coach and mentor a listening volunteer for Samaritans, a Mental Health First Aider, Q Member and active in the local and national discussions around research culture.
Dr Nicola Williams
Dr Nicola Williams is National Director of Support & Delivery, Health and Care Research Wales. She has been an active researcher for 20+ years, initially delivering research projects and programmes in primary care and public health. Prior to her role in Wales, she was Deputy Director of R&D in North Bristol Trust, and jointly established one of the Comprehensive Local Research Networks in England. In parallel, she has worked as a policy and change advisor to the Welsh and UK Governments, and Health Research Authority. She has been Chair of the Programme Content Group since 2016.
Dipak Patel
Dipak has twenty years’ experience working in clinical research for the public sector, across both the NHS and HEIs. He is the Associate Director Research & Innovation at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and has a wealth of experience in the set up and delivery of research and introduction of innovation to services, working closely with University partners, other NHS Trusts, the Clinical Research Networks and Pharma.
Margaret Cooper
Margaret Cooper began working in the NHS as a student nurse in 1984. She worked clinically in cardiology and cardiac surgery, developing a keen interest in research. Since 1999 she has been working exclusively in R&D, first leading a clinical research team, and then in R&D Management.
As the first Senior Manager of the Cumbria and Lancashire Local Comprehensive Research Network, she supported the development of the research delivery systems across the region. Most recently she has worked in Manchester in senior roles and is currently the Director of Research working across Tameside and Stockport NHS foundation Trusts. During this time, she supported many external regulatory inspections. She is joint Chair of the NW R&D Community Group and is passionate about career development for R&D Managers and administrative support staff.
Outside work she works with a disability children’s charity and is kept busy with grandma duties for her six grandchildren.
Sean Scott
Sean has over twelve years’ experience working in clinical research for the public sector, across both the NHS and HEIs. He graduated with an MSc in Clinical Research from Liverpool University and is currently Regulatory Compliance Manager for Newcastle Hospitals. He is a Senior Team member in the Newcastle Joint Research Office, supporting the NHS/academic interface in health and care research.
Sean is lead for research sponsorship and governance with specialist interests in quality and risk management. He works closely with a number of NHS R&D forum groups nationally and supports the North East region with quality improvement, process development and teaching, sharing best practice to increase the profile of clinical research.
Carolyn Maloney
Carolyn is the R&I Director of Operations at Leicester’s Hospitals and has been working in research management for over 20 years. She has a reputation for her no nonsense, pragmatic and proportionate approach. Carolyn has a keen interest in helping individuals to develop psychological safety and to promote civility and respect in all aspects of the research management process.
RDF Management & Business Support Services
The RDF Manager supports all the groups and the leadership team in driving the strategy and content of the RDF. The Manager is charged with implementing the strategic plan on a daily basis, engaging with community members and partners, and developing our projects and initiatives.
Helen Riding
Helen is the NHS Research and Development Forum Coordinator and Research Manager for North of England Commissioning Support (NECS). As Research Manager, Helen supports and manages the delivery and development of primary care research and evaluations in the North East, North Cumbria and North Yorkshire. Prior to this role she worked clinically as a Midwife and as a Research Facilitator supporting GP practices in Newcastle and North Tyneside. Helen has also completed a Masters in Clinical Research (Leadership) from Newcastle University. Helen’s Dissertation was titled “Research activity and quality indicators in primary care” and this has been disseminated widely locally and at national conferences.
Delegant Limited provide the day-to-day event management and membership management for the RDF. Delegant manage the Annual Conference, all training courses, and the day-to-day running of the RDF. Please contact us directly for any questions you have concerning the RDF.
RDF Group Chairs
The Chairs of the RDF Groups are members of the Leadership Team that oversees strategy and leads areas of activity to move the work of the RDF forward as a body
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