Earlier this year, the UKRD membership survey was circulated and the responses have now been published in a report. The leadership team wanted to understand more about the UKRD community; who our members are, how they perceive UKRD’s current vision and activity, and what priorities should shape the organisation’s future strategic direction.
Thirty five people completed the survey from a range of different organisation types and regions of the UK. Their responses highlighted a strong appreciation for UKRD’s leadership and national influence, while also calling for closer alignment between UKRD, the R\&D Forum, DHSC, NIHR, and NHSE, and clearer visibility of ongoing work.
The responses also highlighted recurring system pressures around research finance, digital capability, workforce capacity, and performance expectations, with finance emerging as the most significant unmet need. Many respondents raised concerns about inequitable funding models, the impact on smaller or non-acute Trusts, and the instability created by annual funding cycles.
Overall, the findings indicate a committed and diverse membership that values UKRD’s national influence and community support, which recognising the opportunities to strengthen inclusivity, clarify priorities, enhance digital capabilities and respond to system-wide changes in research policy and funding. These insights will help inform UKRD’s forward plan and discussions and we will continue to communicate updates to our members.
You can read the full report here.