Appendix B: invitation to participate from SRO

The following text was sent via from the Data for R&D Programme Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) to potential participants in this programme evaluation:

"We have commissioned an independent review of the Data for R&D programme, and I am writing to invite you to participate in that review. Starlight Consulting has been commissioned to do this work. This will accompany our recent Gateway 5 review, which was a requirement to close down our status as a Government Major Project Portfolio (GMPP). We believe it's important for this independent assessment to focus on lessons learned and benefits to help the transition to Health Data Research Service (HDRS) and to inform the scale-up of services.

The review is a key opportunity to test whether the programme delivered on its strategic objectives, realised the intended benefits and is set up for a sustainable future, including its role as the foundation for the Health Data Research Service. Your insight and experience as a stakeholder in the programme are critical to providing a balanced, evidence-based view of what is working well and where further focus is needed.

Over the coming weeks, the review team will be arranging a series of structured interviews and small group sessions with partners across the SDE Network. We are also seeking to capture the perspectives of those you have used SDE Network services. These conversations will focus on areas such as:

• the value and impact you are seeing from the SDE Network and data-enabled clinical trials
• how well the programme has delivered the planned benefits
• lessons learned including what will be required to sustain and grow the service

All insights that you share with Starlight Consulting will be held in confidence, only shared as part of an aggregated description and not directly attributable to you as an individual or to the organisation that you represent. You will be provided with the opportunity to consent or not, to being named as a contributor in the final report.

I'd be very grateful if you could confirm your willingness to participate. Please reply to this email, copying (redacted), (redacted) and (redacted), and we will coordinate dates and materials.

Thank you in advance for your continued support and for contributing candid feedback to this important review."