Two weeks ago, the EDGE team headed to Birmingham to exhibit at the annual Research and Development Forum (RDF26). It was an incredible few days of networking, learning, and celebrating innovation. From busy catch-ups at Stand C9 over coffee to inspiring presentations, the energy of the health and care research community was unmatched.
For Jen, Ben, Stevie, Andy, and Roberto, the highlights were the face-to-face conversations. It was wonderful to reconnect with familiar faces and forge new connections. Hearing about the recent milestones and future research goals of the EDGE community reminded us why digital innovation matters. The discussions around streamlining clinical trials showed a collective drive to push the boundaries of healthcare research.
The event also provided a platform to celebrate the brilliant ways our community leverages EDGE to solve real-world R&D challenges. Finance and efficiency emerged as major themes throughout the sessions.
During the lunchtime presentations, Thomas Jenkins and Nick Allison from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust took to the stage. They demonstrated how they are automating invoice splitting and error-checking for commercial income using the iCT tool alongside EDGE. Their work is a brilliant example of how smart data usage can slash administrative burdens, representing a massive win for NHS financial accuracy and efficiency.
The celebrations continued in the poster exhibition. We were absolutely chuffed to see Donna Foster, Research Governance and Data Manager at the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT), awarded a prestigious Top 10 poster!
Her presentation, "Driving growth through EDGE finance at PAHT," perfectly illustrated the power of moving away from fragmented, spreadsheet-based financial tracking. By centralising their processes using EDGE and the Interactive Cost Template (iCT), Donna’s team achieved phenomenal results:
170% Revenue Growth: Generated research income skyrocketed between FY 2022/23 and FY 2025/26.
Vast Financial Visibility: EDGE flagged over £24,000 in due funds on just one initial commercial trial, compared to the £6,000 originally advised by the sponsor.
Proactive Invoicing: PAHT shifted from reactive tracking to proactive, deadline-driven invoicing to ensure full cost recovery.
Donna’s recognition is a testament to the hard work of the PAHT team, proving that reducing administrative tasks allows for maximum reinvestment into clinical research.
Looking Ahead
We left Birmingham feeling incredibly inspired by the passion of the R&D community. Thank you to everyone who stopped by Stand C9, shared their expertise, or cheered on their colleagues. We are already looking forward to helping you bring your future research visions to life.