Developing a Research Skilled Workforce 2027: Building a Collaborative Future

Resources and documentation on the conference, 21 April 2027

Developing a research skilled workforce image

Developing a Research Skilled Workforce 2027: Building a Collaborative Future

Resources and documentation on the conference, 21 April 2027

Date: 21 April 2027

Venue: Sandy Park, Exeter

Aim: To celebrate partnership working and positive impact and achievement.

We will be celebrating the impact of research across organisations, settings, and professions in the South West.

Poster submissions

This conference focuses on collaboration across settings and professions: what people have achieved in nurturing relationships, building connections, and implementing processes and networks. All this work is to support and develop a research skilled workforce across the South West.

We invite practitioners from across the South West of England to submit abstracts showcasing work they have undertaken to:

develop practice-based collaborations: these might be across teams, services, organisations, professions, systems.
illustrate the impact of increasing research delivery where they work, and how they are supporting the development of practice-based research and academic skills.

Use one of the six domains of the DRSW research strategy as anchor points/framework for submissions:

Invest in and nurture our workforce
Improve access and equity
Lead by example
Support South West research priorities
Grow our influence
Create a thriving research culture

We also want to encourage you to show how you have built inclusivity, sustainability, and culture change.

Read the event details and submit your abstract

Previous conferences

Developing a Research Skilled Workforce in the South West: A Celebration 2026

Access resources produced and presented at the conference on 25 February 2026.

The conference showcased and celebrated impact, progress, and collaboration, and what individuals, teams, organisations and networks have achieved in developing and embedding research culture and skills within health and care systems.

1 / 7

Outstanding Team Initiative Award = Becky Watson & Lisa Thorne

Pictured: Carrie Biddle, Becky Watson, Lisa Thorne

P N

2 / 7

Outstanding Organisation Initiative Award = Paula Hine & Frances Hannon

Pictured: Carrie Biddle, Paula Hine

P N

3 / 7

Outstanding Network Initiative Award = Rachel Palmer, Claire Matthews, Tori McIntyre, Chris Levett, Kate Gregory & Helen Winter

Pictured: Carrie Biddle, Claire Matthews, Tori McIntyre

P N

4 / 7

Outstanding System-Level Initiative Award = Frazer Underwood, Ralph Hammond, Rebecca Fox, Kathryn Bamforth, Catherine Pitman & Lisa Burrows

Pictured: Carrie Biddle, Ralph Hammond, Frazer Underwood, Rebecca Fox, Catherine Pitman

P N

5 / 7

Outstanding Leadership Contribution (Abstract) Award Mary Harvey

Pictured: Carrie Biddle, Mary Harvey

P N

6 / 7

Outstanding Leadership Contribution Award (highly commended) = Abdul-Manan Alhassan; Jack Brazier

Pictured: Carrie Biddle, Abdul-Manan Alhassan

P N

7 / 7

Outstanding Leadership Contribution Award = Sam Harding

Pictured: Carrie Biddle, Sam Harding

P N

Photos from the day

1 / 8

P N

2 / 8

P N

3 / 8

P N

4 / 8

P N

5 / 8

P N

6 / 8

P N

7 / 8

P N

8 / 8

P N

Developing and Celebrating a Research Skilled Workforce Conference 2025

Access resources produced and presented at the conference on 2 April 2025.

Practitioners from across the South West of England submitted abstracts for oral presentations and in-person and online posters.

Practitioners shared practice-based research activities. Many of these addressed research capacity-building efforts, service evaluation and improvement, and patient and professional experiences.

These resources will be of interest to health, social and science professionals. They describe real-life practice-based work to evaluate and improve services, and therefore offer examples of how other health, social and science professionals might evaluate their practice.