27. This is expected to result in significant time savings and improvements to quality that will benefit Pls and study delivery teams, as well as OUH and sponsors (who will no longer have to travel to OUH to review essential documents relating to their studies). The R&D Information Systems team is closely involved and if the pilot is successful, plans to support rolling this out across the Trust, as part of the NHS shift from analogue to digital.
8.8. As the CRF portfolio grows, current processes and oversight structures have been reviewed and aligned further with modifications in Trust R&D processes; further work is being undertaken to explore supporting more Phase 1 trials and studies involving cellular therapy.
9.1. An interim R&D Committee operated between October 2025 and March 2026 while the new governance arrangements were being established. During this period, leads for 14 new Research Delivery Groups (RDGs) were appointed through an open, transparent and competitive process. The RDG leads are now members of the R&D Committee, completing its full establishment.
9.2. A summary of the governance frameworks governing research is available in the Appendix.
10.1. The R&D Finance team provides management accounting, costing, and pre- and post-award financial support to researchers and for infrastructure grants. This includes managing finances for the Oxford BRC, and the CRF, and the delivery funds received from the South Central Regional Research Delivery Network (SCRDN); acting as lead site for National Contract Value Reviews (NCVR) when the CI is based at OUH; reviewing and costing study budgets and amendments; and managing commercial study income to support R&D activities.