Performance report Qtr4 2017/18 May 2018

Contents Slides Executive summary 2-3 Strategic KPIs and benefits 6-12 Key projects update 14-15 Operational KPIs 17-18 User feedback 20-22 Finance report Appendix

Executive summary Strong performance continues throughout the fourth quarter with good progress made on our strategic KPIs and most operational KPIs meeting expectations. Over the year we approved 4,568 HRA Approvals of which 3,689 required ethical review. We also processed 16,225 amendments of which 8,449 were substantial amendments. Full analysis of our performance against our strategic objectives and KPIs has been provided as part of our Part 2 Board discussion in preparation for the Annual Report and Accounts process An animation summarising our achievements in the year was developed for and launched at the all staff day and will shortly be adapted for an external audience. HRA Approvals timelines remain sustained at the improved 2017/18 levels but continue to be vulnerable to staff levels and other change activity Full ethical review 60 day turnaround target has been met all year and amendments 35 day turnaround, met in 11/12 months. The procurement exercise for our research IT systems in nearing completion with demo days and final selection imminent . Our ambition is to move from being a good organisation to a great organisation. The quality of research in the UK is high, we punch above our weight, but we can do better – we have not yet managed to capitalise on the advantages that we should have through our comprehensive national health services. HRA has made considerable progress but we still have a significant amount to do Public confidence is crucial, but so is funder/sponsor confidence, researcher confidence and clinical confidence – we want all of them to invest in the UK’s research enterprise, whether it is their bodies and time, their money, their careers, of their clinical reputations. Only if we have confidence will we be able to create the virtuous circle that we seek in which health research is a collaborative exercise in which participating in the research enterprise is part of the normal expectations of those involved in health services because they appreciate that the care they get today is built on yesterday’s research and their contributions to today’s research is their legacy to the future care for their families. Because the driver for this vision is to improve health – this is not to deny the important of the contribution that health research makes to the wealth of the UK nations, but this is secondary to the goal of health improvement and is a means to achieve it. So the model that underpins the vision is that research and care are complementary and not in opposition….. www.hra.nhs.uk | @HRA_Latest 

Strategic KPIs and Benefits

User experience – KPIs being recorded Theme Description Measure Update Service delivery Improve end to end timelines Full elapsed time for a valid application to receive HRA approval from receipt Improvements achieved in first 12 months of HRA Approval have been sustained (see following slides) Guidance and advice Increase the number of applications which are ‘right first time’ Reduction in number of applications received with missing documentation Digital transformation business case approved. Data being collated – trend line shows some improvement Satisfaction Customer experience remains strong 75% or greater satisfaction score at 7 and above 68% users scored 7 and above out of 10 in Qtr3&4 Baseline score from which trends can be tracked.

User experience HRA Approval Timelines in Calendar days from REC final decision to HRA Approval by month of Approval HRA Approval timelines from final REC FO have seen significant decreases from November 2016 to March 2017 where most study types have seen a levelling off through to June 2017, with the exception of Non-REC studies timelines which have more recently seen a decrease from September 2017. Collaborative working between Assessor and REC teams on joint approvals and changes in ways of working around end stage approvals and issue of HRA Approval letter have helped contribute to this. The trend reversed in January due changes in the validation process which have now levelled off. .

User experience Median Timelines from Submission to HRA Approval .

User experience Some improvement achieved in ‘getting it right first time’ which we expect to build on with the recent launch of the IRAS verification tool. Improvements to date have been achieved through extensive messaging across a number of channels to help applicants ‘get it right first time’ . Changes have also been made to the checklists in IRAS.

HRA operating model Theme Description Measure Update Financial performance Reduction in the unit cost of processing each application 5% reduction in baseline (16/17) Proportionality review complete; RS business case approved; Organisational change process complete – Finance and Corporate Secretariat Forecasting Enhancing HRA forecasting tools to deliver a balanced I&E Forecasting to be within 4% range of forecast target Improved business intelligence reporting (oracle / SBS) Change in accounting structure hierarchy agreed and initiated Forecast within target range Estates Improve facilities utilisation and cost effectiveness Achieve 8sqm/desk industry benchmark Work towards 8:10 desks / staff member Shared space at SKH improved desk utilisation by 20% Cost sharing arrangements with NHS BT in Newcastle saved £35k to health. 8.1sqm/desk; 8.8 WTE: 10 desks

Our people Theme Description Measure Update Development Our commitment to developing our people Our ability to respond to user needs 100% eligible people have had an appraisal >50% of our people have an opportunity to interact outside of HRA 100% of eligible people have had an appraisal. 61 people have taken the opportunity to interact externally (who wouldn’t normally). >50% Wellbeing Sickness absence – vital to HRA success that we create and support a healthy working environment <1,500 lost days/annum (2.2%) 2,517 Consistent with 2016/17. No improvement. Wellbeing key focus for 2018/19 Engagement Strong engagement – resulting in a more productive organisation 80% from staff survey 78% (compared to benchmark 67%, py 78%) IT Providing the tools to enable our people to perform well 10% improvement on 2017 50% (compared to benchmark 59%, py 53%)

Leadership and transparency Theme Description Measure Update Strategic stakeholder engagement Increased participation on strategic decision making groups Our ability to respond to user needs HRA executives spend at least 20% of their time engaging with key external stakeholder groups More people aware of HRA Methodology agreed. Base line recorded from Feb18 – greater than 20% for Feb/Mar18 Director of Policy appointed. Transparency Our ability to demonstrate publication of research findings and improve visibility of research tbd Clinical trial registration audit and report on website Accepted clinical trial registers agreed and published on website

Key projects update

Programme highlights Developed and implemented joined up validation process Developed and tested ‘ready to review’ threshold Stakeholder review on proportionality Launched technical assurances Launched model clinical trials agreements IRAS verification tool developed; 8 new e-learning modules – 76% satisfaction score, over 1,000 users each quarter; Research IT systems procurement exercise GAfREC reviewed and soon to be launched

Operational KPIs

Ethics service   Year on year improvement of the performance of HRA REC's and CAG Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 1G Full ethical reviews complete in 60 days (Target 95%) 99% 97% 98% 1H Proportionate ethical reviews complete in 21 days (Target 95%) 81% 89% 90% 88% 94% 87% 86% 95% 92% 75% 1i Amendments to ethical review applications complete in 35 days (Target 95%) 100% 93% 1J GTAC ethical reviews complete in 60 days (Target 100%) 80% 1N All CAG Reviews and Amendments are completed within respective targets. Service meeting KPIs is almost all areas. Proportionate review remains outside of our internally set target. Significant improvement will require changes from service improvement programme. Meanwhile, ethics service is working with individual ethics committees where there may be an issue. Other factors impacting speed of improvement include vacancies (now addressed) and member availability.

Learning and development KPI 8 The HRA maximizes the value from the investment in training. Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 8A eLearning User Satisfaction Score   80% 78% 72% 76% 8B Unique users of eLearning. 353 1139 794 1780 8C Person-hours of learning delivered 758 917 2393 2031 8D Number of people participating in HRA-organised learning 168 156 411 412 8E Number of people participating in collaboratively organised events 9 85 New suite of KPIs developed for learning and development this year. Significant increase in person hours and number of people participating in HRA organised learning following promotion of plan for staff and also attendance at national days for Chairs and members. Collaborative events include those jointly delivered with MRC and NHS BT.

User feedback

Overall service Respondents were asked to rate the overall service they received from the HRA when making an application through the HRA approval process (where 1 represents not at all satisfied and 10 represents extremely satisfied).

Finance report P12 provided as an attachment