Sapna Kurade, who manages the RSN, shares key milestones and impacts from the network’s first year.
Health and care research should be something everyone can take part in – not just a select few. That belief is what brought the South West London Research Support Network (RSN) to life, just over a year ago in May 2024.
Set up for anyone working in health, care or community sectors, the network has become a shared space where people from different backgrounds and experiences can come together to learn, network and harness the power of research to improve health and care services.
The network is supported by several partner organisations working in health and care research in south-west London, including NIHR ARC South London and King's Improvement Science (KIS). From the start, leadership from Dr Catherine Heffernan, Director of Health Improvement at South West London Integrated Care Board, has guided our research and innovation work. Her focus on collaboration and inclusive research has shaped the network and helped bring people together across sectors.
As we move into our second year, we want to reflect on what we have built – together – and what comes next.
Photo: Samira Ben Omar, mum and community organiser, advisor on community collaborations delivering a Network Cafe - Leadership for systematic change.Why we needed a different kind of research space
Research can feel like a closed door. Too formal. Too technical. Too far removed from the reality of people’s lives. The RSN was created by NHS South West London Integrated Care System to change that. It was set up to help people and organisations across our six boroughs – Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth – feel more confident using, doing and shaping research.
From the start, we have worked to make research more useful, inclusive and local. We have focused on making small, meaningful changes: clear language, open conversations and practical support that meets people where they are.
"Research includes people like me—not just experts" RSN attendee
What we have built together
Since our launch, we have:
- Run 12 network cafés and learning sessions, with topics shaped by local demand, from conducting surveys to writing bids and evaluating services
- Reached over 900 people, including VCSE staff, NHS professionals, academics and public contributors
- Launched a team of 12 evaluation ambassadors, volunteers from across south-west London who offer friendly, practical support to help others evaluate their projects
- Built an open-access knowledge bank to share tools and resources with anyone who wants to get involved
- Created spaces where beginners and experienced professionals can learn side by side.
Each café is informal, hands-on and welcoming. We cap sessions at around 30 people to keep the atmosphere informal and interactive. People often tell us they learned just as much from each other as from the speakers.
"The environment and ease to communicate and share was great" RSN attendee.
"Loved the pace of learning – not overwhelming." RSN attendee
"It felt like a two-way learning process – for them and for me." RSN attendee
A moment to celebrate south-west London’s first Health Research Summit
In May 2025, we marked the network’s one-year anniversary by hosting the first South West London Health Research Summit, chaired by Dr Heffernan. Over 300 people came together, from the NHS, local authorities, voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), and universities, to showcase and celebrate the amazing research already happening across our boroughs.
The day included:
- Research cafés on topics such as primary care and clinical research, peer research, and community engagement
- A poster parlour with 35 digital posters from people working across sectors
- Keynotes from healthcare leaders including Katie Fisher, Chief Executive Officer of NHS South West London Integrated Care Board, Professor Sonia Kumar, Founding Executive Dean of Medicine at St Mary's University, London and Dr Alison Austin, Deputy Director of Research at NHS England and Improvement
- A ‘research chat show’ that made research support feel accessible and human, featuring participants from NIHR ARC South London, NIHR Regional Research Delivery Network South London, the Health Innovation Network South London and others.
The day closed with reflections on what the RSN has achieved and a look at what we can build next.
