Collaborative Excellence in Research Innovation: Our Governance Structure
For the past 20 years, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (RDUH) and University of Exeter (UoE) have built a strong and effective partnership supported by a joint research collaboration. A dedicated joint research office streamlines services for researchers, facilitating research sponsorship and overseeing joint activities.
The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Sustainable Innovation has a Management Board that is accountable to the existing Joint Strategic Partnership Board (JSPB), and then to the RDUH Trust Board.
NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation Management Board
The Management Board, chaired by Director Professor Mike Spiro and vice-chaired by Co-Director Professor Chris Fox, meet monthly to develop and implement strategy, manage the budget, and track progress. It also ensures collaboration across themes and NIHR infrastructure, identifying and acting on opportunities, and handling key responsibilities.
Board Members
Professor Mike Spiro, Director (RDUH)
Professor Chris Fox Co-director (UoE)
Professor Helen Quinn, R&D Director (RDUH)
Rebecca Harper, Chief Operating Officer of the HRC (RDUH)
Professor Helen Dawes, Rehabilitation, Frailty & Dementia Lead (UoE)
Professor Timothy McDonald, Diagnostics and Biomarkers Lead (RDUH)
Professor Nick Stone, Diagnostics and Biomarkers Lead (UoE)
Professor Nick Kennedy, Digital Innovation & AI Lead (RDUH)
Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, Digital Innovation & AI Lead (UoE)
Professor Pete Ford, Sustainable Innovation Lead (RDUH)
Professor Ed Wilson, Sustainable Innovation Lead (UoE)
Mr Dave Tarbet, Commercialisation & Capacity Lead (RDUH)
Professor Chris Hyde, Commercialisation & Capacity Lead (UoE)
Jess Smith, PPIE Lead, (UoE)
Zoe Foster, PPIE Support, (UoE)
Lynne Wright, PPIE Representative
Andrew Turnbull, PPIE Representative
Joint Strategic Partnership Board (JSPB)
This is co-chaired by the RDUH Trust CEO, Sam Higginson, and Vice-Chancellor of UoE, Professor Lisa Roberts. The JSPB meet quarterly and is responsible for:
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- delivery of the NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation five-year strategy
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- oversight of the NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation governance and management structures
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- oversight and approval of the annual plan, finance business plan, and reporting
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- maximising the added value of the NIHR HRC in in Sustainable Innovation
Board Members
Professor Adrian Harris, Chief Medical Officer (RDUH)
Professor Helen Quinn, R&D Director (RDUH)
Carolyn Mills, Chief Nursing Officer (RDUH)
Professor Sallie Lamb, Pro-ViceChancellor, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (UoE)
Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact) (UoE)
Professor Richard Holland (UoE)
A Joint Research Office
The Joint Research Office helps to create a streamlined service between our two organisations, making it easier for researchers to share knowledge and to access services, activities and opportunities.
The Joint Research Office (JRO) is a partnership between the Royal Devon and the University of Exeter’s College of Medicine and Health. It helps researchers to develop and deliver world-class experimental, translational and health research and provides a mechanism to enable effective collaborative working with life sciences partners.
The JRO works hand-in-hand with the Research, Innovation, Learning and Development Hub (RILD) and Exeter Innovation, to bring health innovations to life for patients and businesses. This exciting and productive relationship enables us to deliver outstanding and globally recognised research and innovation; transforming clinical care, technologies and medicines for people locally, nationally and worldwide.
Find out more about the Joint Research Office
What is governance in healthcare?
Governance means ensuring that we do the right things, at the right time, in the right way.
There are two key areas of governance in healthcare:
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- Clinical governance: a framework for ensuring the HRC is accountable for continually improving the quality of our services and safeguarding a high standard of care.
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- Corporate governance: ensuring that the HRC is well-run with robust systems and processes, ensuring that the HRC operates within the law and the parameters set out by its regulators.
All staff are responsible for governance in the HRC and it is embedded into the work we do every day. However, the HRC has specific staff to help manage the process. Learn more here.
