Dear all
I’d like to introduce myself to those I haven’t had the chance to meet yet. I’m stepping in as the Acting Executive Director of the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN), covering for John Sitzia while he’s away for family reasons. Many of you will already know me from my substantive role as Regional Network Director. However I’m looking forward to working with all of you in this new capacity over the coming months.
Within the RDN and the wider ecosystem, it is a time of significant change and flux. Not just as a consequence of the organisational change from the Clinical Research Network (CRN) to the new Research Delivery Network (RDN), but also as a result of a new Government and the new and added pressures within each of our organisations. I therefore believe that increased communication is important, so we all understand better what is happening within the RDN but also across the wider R&D system. I am keen to hear from you directly if there are specific issues or concerns you would like to raise.
The RDN has commenced regular meetings with UKRD, the R&D Forum and the University Hospitals Association (UHA), but I appreciate that not all information always gets to all parts of the system. I hope that this and future updates will help in this regard.
As you will be aware, the regions transition from being LCRNs to Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs) from 1 October. During this process we are realigning from 15 Networks to 12. But there are also multiple other significant organisational changes as we become the RDN. This transition is needed to truly enhance the country’s potential and capacity to deliver health and care research. Across the research system, we will all need to alter our services and functions, as well as embrace a new culture and ways of working.
There will be some instability as these significant changes take place – but we are keen to support you to ensure your services are as stable as possible over this time. Your Network funding has been confirmed for an extended period of time and our Agile/Direct Delivery/Out-of-Hospital delivery support teams have had their Management of Change process postponed to next financial year (2025/2026). These should help to ensure more stability whilst further significant work is undertaken to ascertain the best models for the future. We will also be developing a fairer and more robust financial model for our different settings, as well as new contracts, terms and conditions, and other aligned processes.
These latter areas (and many more) will require significant consultation with relevant stakeholders, and that obviously includes you. We will be communicating via your representative bodies on how you can best engage and help create a better system for us all. We appreciate and need your help in this.
I will send further, more detailed, information in future and look forward to working with you all.
Best wishes
Andy