The Research and Development Forum
The Research and Development Forum is a UK registered charity and the only UK-wide professional network for R&D management, support, and leadership in health and care. It serves NHS R&D offices, ICBs, HEIs, and non-commercial sponsors through its Resources Exchange, R&D Contacts Directory, training courses, symposia, annual conference, and 13+ working groups.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersArdington, Wantage, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Research and Development Forum does
The Research and Development Forum (NHS R&D Forum) is a UK registered charity (no. 1189876) and the only UK-wide professional network specifically for the research management, support, and leadership community in health and care. It is administered by RDF Professional Development Limited, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company no. 12267278), with a registered office in Ardington, Wantage. The Forum connects, supports, and represents those in R&D roles across NHS trusts, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), higher education institutions (HEIs), and non-commercial sponsors, spanning England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It serves NHS R&D offices, R&D management professionals, ICB research leads, non-commercial sponsors, and broader health and care research personnel, addressing fragmentation of the R&D management community, lack of shared resources, limited professional development opportunities, and insufficient collective voice to influence national research policy.
The Forum's core products and technology platform include: the Resource Exchange (REX), a free open-access platform with 500+ shared resources for R&D management; the R&D Contacts Directory, the UK-wide index of R&D offices and non-commercial Sponsors; the Annual Conference (RDF27 and subsequent years); specialist Symposia on strategic topics; Training Courses (Essentials of NHS Research, Local Capacity and Capability for Research, Archiving Masterclass, Regulatory Inspection Ready); Roundtable Discussions (Hive Mind); the #Red4Research annual awareness campaign; Briefing Notes & Guidance; Opinion Papers; Responses to Consultations; and a Job Listing platform. The Forum operates 13+ working groups covering AI and Data Research, ICB Research Leads, Non-Commercial Sponsors, Primary Care and Commissioning, Research Communications, Research Contracts, Research Management, Research Quality, Sustainability, UK Research Finance, Learning & Development, and Wider Health and Care. Its digital estate is centered on the rdforum.nhs.uk website, supported by social media presence (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Bluesky) and a monthly e-newsletter.
The Forum operates a freemium/community-led business model: membership is free and open to all, with revenue generated primarily through training courses, symposia, and the annual conference (e.g., Non-commercial Sponsors' Symposia at £175 per person). Income is reinvested into running the Forum. Working group members and the Senior Leadership Team are volunteers from across the NHS R&D community. The organization maintains deep strategic partnerships with UK health research regulators and funders including NIHR, HRA, MHRA, NHS England, MRC, UKRI, CQC, ARMA, AMRC, NHS Research Scotland, Health and Care Research Wales, HSC R&D Northern Ireland, Academy of Medical Sciences, Florence Nightingale Foundation, and Health Data Research UK. As a non-profit charity, the Forum reports no publicly disclosed revenue, and operates without a parent company or external equity backing.
The Research and Development Forum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Research and Development Forum
- Legal name
- Research and Development Forum
- Website
- https://rdforum.nhs.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Research and Development Forum is a UK registered charity and the only UK-wide professional network for R&D management, support, and leadership in health and care. It serves NHS R&D offices, ICBs, HEIs, and non-commercial sponsors through its Resources Exchange, R&D Contacts Directory, training courses, symposia, annual conference, and 13+ working groups.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Research and Development Forum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare Research Management Professional Services
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Clinical Research Support (CRC/CTA) (EDAOAJAO)
Keywords
Where The Research and Development Forum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ardington, Wantage
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Research and Development Forum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Training and Events: Training courses, symposia, and annual conferences generate revenue. Income from training and events is reinvested into running the Forum for the community.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free membership for all |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
The Research and Development Forum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Research and Development Forum (NHS R&D Forum) is a UK-wide professional network for the R&D management, support and leadership community in health and care. It provides an open-access Resources Exchange with 500+ resources, an R&D Contacts Directory of UK R&D offices and non-commercial Sponsors, professional training courses, specialist symposia, an annual conference (RDF), roundtable discussions, working groups, and consultation responses to influence UK research policy.
Product overview
The NHS R&D Forum is a professional network for the research management, support and leadership community in health and care. It operates as a unified platform offering community-driven resources and services including the Resource Exchange (REX) for sharing research tools, an R&D Contacts Directory for UK-wide networking, professional training courses (Essentials of NHS Research, Archiving Masterclass, Regulatory Inspection Ready), symposia on strategic topics, roundtable discussions (Hive Mind), an annual conference, job listings, consultation responses, and the Red4Research awareness campaign. The Forum connects members across NHS and health and care organisations through groups focused on AI and Data Research, ICB Research Leads, Learning & Development, Non-Commercial Sponsors, Primary Care and Commissioning, Research Communications, Research Contracts, Research Management, Research Quality, Sustainability, UK Research Finance, and Wider Health and Care. Membership is free with open access to most content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Training Courses Professional development training courses for R&D management, support and leadership professionals working in NHS and health and care organisations, covering topics such as essentials of NHS research, research capacity and capability, archiving, and regulatory inspection readiness. Includes open courses and bespoke in-house delivery.
- Symposia Specialist events exploring strategic topics mapped to core themes of health and care R&D functions, featuring speakers, partners and facilitated discussions for knowledge sharing across the UK R&D management community (e.g., Non-commercial Sponsors' Symposia at £175 per person).
- Annual NHS R&D Forum Conference (RDF) Annual professional conference (RDF27 and subsequent years) for the research management community to share best practice, innovation and learning, featuring oral presentations, poster displays, training workshops, networking opportunities, fringe events and the RDF Gala Dinner and Awards.
- Resource Exchange (REX) A free, open-access online platform where community members can upload and download resources related to health and care research management, including COVID-related best practices, guidance documents and research tools. Contains over 500 resources.
- R&D Contacts Directory The UK directory for all R&D offices and non-commercial Sponsors, enabling networking and collaboration across the health and care research community.
- Roundtable Discussions (Hive Mind) Virtual discussion forums and monthly R&D Manager Hive Mind Discussions for community members to collaborate on emerging topics, policy questions, and regulatory matters.
- Job Listing Platform for listing vacancies relevant to the health and care research management sector, posted by non-commercial organisations.
- #Red4Research Campaign Annual awareness campaign celebrating those who participate in, support and undertake health and social care research, featuring social media resources and landmark lighting-up events. Began in 2020 and now operates internationally.
Quantifiable outcome
- 480+ delegates attended the 2017 annual conference
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Research and Development Forum
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Research and Development Forum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Research and Development Forum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ARMA (Association of Research Managers and Administrators)coreJoint roundtable discussions and events with ARMA, including events on HRA student research policy and Team Science. Both organizations represent the research management community in higher education and NHS settings.
- NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research)coreNIHR is a key strategic partner. The Forum works with NIHR on adding value in research, RCF funding review, NIHR portfolio, research indicators, and NIHR CRN collaboration. NIHR supports the Forum's activities including training symposia.
- HRA (Health Research Authority)coreHRA and the Forum collaborate on HRA Approval, research transparency, GDPR guidance, model agreements, radiation assurance, and policy development. HRA staff regularly attend Forum events and roundtables.
- MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)coreMHRA collaborates with the Forum on regulatory matters including joint statements on eConsent, radiation assurance, GCP inspections, and regulatory updates.
- NHS EnglandcoreNHS England works with the Forum on research policy, NHS Long Term Plan, ETCs (Excess Treatment Costs), commercial contract research, and NHS England research needs assessment.
- UKRD (UK R&D Leaders)coreUKRD is a national community of R&D Leaders that requested the establishment of a UK Research Finance Working Group within the Forum. Both communities overlap and collaborate on shared interests.
- Health and Care Research WalescoreHealth and Care Research Wales collaborates with the Forum on Wales-specific activities including conference hosting (RDF2018 in Newport, Wales) and policy representation across the four nations.
- NHS Research ScotlandcoreNHS Research Scotland participates in Forum activities across the four nations of the UK.
- Health and Social Care Research & Development, Northern Ireland (HSC R&D)coreHSC R&D Division participates in Forum activities representing Northern Ireland across the four nations.
- UKRI (UK Research and Innovation)minorUKRI is referenced as a partner in Forum activities and supports the research ecosystem within which the Forum operates.
- Academy of Medical SciencesminorThe Academy of Medical Sciences participated in a joint roundtable on Team Science with the Forum and ARMA. Simon Denegri, Executive Director, contributed to discussions on the science of team science.
- MRC (Medical Research Council)coreMRC Regulatory Support Centre collaborates with the Forum on GDPR resources, regulatory updates, and training support. MRC is a supporter of the Forum's GDPR workstream.
- NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN)coreNIHR CRN works closely with the Forum on research delivery, CRN portfolio activity, HLO surveys, and supporting research in the NHS. The Forum collaborates on NIHR initiatives including the 70@70 Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leadership Programme.
- CQC (Care Quality Commission)coreA partnership between NIHR, HRA, MHRA, and CQC, with Forum members, to develop research indicators for use in CQC's monitoring and inspection programme. This puts research on the Board agenda of NHS trusts.
- AMRC (Association of Medical Research Charities)minorAMRC collaborates with the Forum on ETCs and non-commercial research policy. AMRC blog posts explain the ETC process for research.
- Florence Nightingale FoundationminorThe Foundation collaborated with the Forum through the #Red4Research campaign and #WhyWeDoResearch social media initiative.
- Health Data Research UK (HDRUK)minorHDRUK is listed among organizations supporting the #Red4Research campaign and represents part of the broader health data research ecosystem the Forum engages with.
- Health Data Research UK (HDRUK)minorListed as supporting #Red4Research; represents the health data research ecosystem.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Research and Development Forum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Health Research Authority (HRA): UK regulator that oversees health and social care research. Comparable as a system-shaping partner; the Forum collaborates with HRA on HRA Approval, model agreements, GDPR guidance, and radiation assurance.
- NIHR Clinical Research Network: The UK government-funded clinical research delivery network supporting trial portfolio activity across the NHS. Comparable as a core NHS research infrastructure partner; the Forum works closely with NIHR CRN on research delivery, portfolio activity, and HLO surveys.
- Academy of Medical Sciences: UK-wide body that influences medical science policy and supports researchers. Comparable as a convening institution intersecting with NHS R&D management; the Academy has co-hosted Forum roundtables on Team Science.
- NHS Confederation: Membership body for NHS organisations and systems. Comparable as a UK-wide membership organisation convening senior NHS leadership, with overlapping audiences to the Forum's R&D leadership community.
- AMRC (Association of Medical Research Charities): UK membership body for medical research charities that funds and influences health research. Comparable as a sector-wide convening organisation working with NIHR, HRA, and the Department of Health on non-commercial research policy, including ETCs and partnership frameworks.
Direct peers
- Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA): UK professional membership body for NHS finance staff. Highly comparable as a peer model: free membership, member-led working groups, training courses, an annual conference, and policy influence on NHS finance practice, mirroring the Forum's structure for R&D management.
- ARMA (Association of Research Managers and Administrators): UK membership organisation for research managers and administrators in higher education and research institutions. Directly comparable as a peer professional body; the Forum and ARMA even co-host roundtables (e.g., on HRA Student Research Policy and Team Science), evidencing overlapping membership and mission.
- UKRD (UK R&D Leaders): National community of NHS R&D Directors/Leaders. UKRD requested the formation of the Forum's UK Research Finance Working Group, indicating a closely overlapping membership and complementary remit across NHS R&D leadership.
Regional players
- European Health Management Association (EHMA): European membership organisation for health management professionals, researchers, and policymakers. Comparable as a peer professional network model, but operating at a European rather than UK NHS level.
Emerging players
- Florence Nightingale Foundation: UK charity supporting nursing and midwifery leadership, including the 70@70 Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leadership Programme. Comparable as a UK health professional community partner that co-runs the #Red4Research and #WhyWeDoResearch campaigns with the Forum.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Research and Development Forum social profiles
Digital presenceThe Research and Development Forum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Research and Development Forum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Research and Development Forum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Research and Development Forum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Research and Development Forum
What does The Research and Development Forum do?
The Research and Development Forum (NHS R&D Forum) is a UK-wide professional network for the R&D management, support and leadership community in health and care. It provides an open-access Resources Exchange with 500+ resources, an R&D Contacts Directory of UK R&D offices and non-commercial Sponsors, professional training courses, specialist symposia, an annual conference (RDF), roundtable discussions, working groups, and consultation responses to influence UK research policy.
Is The Research and Development Forum a public or private company?
The Research and Development Forum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Research and Development Forum founded?
The Research and Development Forum was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Research and Development Forum based?
The Research and Development Forum is headquartered in Ardington, Wantage, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Research and Development Forum make money?
One revenue line is on record: training and Events.
Who are The Research and Development Forum's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Health Research Authority (HRA), NIHR Clinical Research Network, Academy of Medical Sciences, NHS Confederation and AMRC (Association of Medical Research Charities). Direct peers are Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), ARMA (Association of Research Managers and Administrators) and UKRD (UK R&D Leaders). European Health Management Association (EHMA) is listed as a regional player. Florence Nightingale Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Research and Development Forum have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Research and Development Forum.
What industry is The Research and Development Forum in?
The Research and Development Forum's product category is Healthcare Research Management Professional Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAN, Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations, with a secondary code of EDAOAJAO, Clinical Research Support (CRC/CTA). Its NAICS code is 541690 and its SIC code is 8090.