Helen Riding is a research manager for the North of England Commissioning Support Unit and coordinator for the Research and Development Forum. She helps make primary care research easier so that more patients can benefit

Sarah and Helen talk about

1. Being the glue that holds the primary care research world together
2. How she went from graphic designer to research manager (via midwifery)
3. Navigating redundancy and becoming a mature student
4. Why she keeps the patient at the heart of everything she does

Find out more

1. Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website
2. Connect with Helen on LinkedIn, X or ResearchGate
3. Find out about the NECS and the Research and Development Forum
4. Read a recent paper on how being research-active improves healthcare

About Research Adjacent

1. Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn and Instagram
2. Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter
3. Email a comment, question or suggestion
4. Leave Sarah a voice message

Mentioned in this episode:

Member of the Month: Duncan Yellowlees, DY Training

Let’s put rubbish presentations in the bin – where they belong. Get in touch with Duncan for specialist research presentation skills training www.duncanyellowlees.com

Come along to our Manchester networking event

Join host Sarah McLusky and fellow research-adjacent professionals on Thursday 12 March 2026 at 5.30pm. Find out more and register here https://researchadjacent.circle.so/c/open-events/manchester-research-adjacent-community-networking