The original Liaison Development Manager (LDM) role outlined in the R&D HPSS Strategy 'Research for Health and Wellbeing' recognised the need to assist the individual professions develop their full R&D potential. As the implementation of the strategy progressed and the role of the R&D Office, developed the role of the LDM also evolved resulting in a new concept - the Programme Manager. The sole survivor of the LDM era, Dr Glenda Fleming, was joined by three new appointments: Dr Nicola Armstrong (Programme Manager Nursing), Dr Catherine Bane (Programme Manager Social Care) and Dr Janice Bailie (Programme Manager Allied Health Professions). As senior managers in the R&D Office all four play a critical role in supporting the ongoing implementation of the HPSS R&D Strategy in three key ways:

• contributing to the overall functioning of the R&D Office
• providing strategic and operational scientific output
• assuming responsibility for the management of various awards, grants, research programmes and projects funded by the R&D Office under its going implementation of the HPSS R&D Strategy

Alongside these operational responsibilities the Programme Managers maintain an equally important and complimentary responsibility to engage each of their respective professions in all aspects of the R&D Strategy, by promoting opportunities and providing an effective link between their professions and the R&D Office.

The main professional responsibilities of the Programme Manager are:

• identifying measures to facilitate engagement of the pharmacy, nursing, social care and allied health professions in HPSS R&D and to minimise barriers encountered by these professions to their full participation in HPSS R&D
• assisting in the development of appropriate mentoring and support mechanisms to enable improved application for funding, development of bids and support for individuals undertaking research
• contributing to the identification and implementation of measures to address research training needs in the pharmacy, nursing, social care and allied health professions
• assisting in building a cadre of skilled researchers in these professions
• establishing effective links with national and international R&D Office at local, national and international events