£120 million investment for research to improve NHS services

Launched in January 2013, the Department of Health announced £120 million for an open competition to research ways of improving NHS services. Each research project will involve collaborative partnerships between a university and surrounding NHS organisations and will be overseen by the National Institute of Health Research.

There will be up to twelve NIHR Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs) around the country to ensure the best evidence gained from research is applied directly to the NHS to improve the lives of patients. The new funding builds on nine NIHR CLAHRCs established in 2008, as collaborative partnerships between a University and surrounding NHS organisations, which are now in the final year of funding.  CLAHRCs undertake high quality applied health research focused on the needs of patients that supports the translation of research evidence into practice in the NHS.

The funding period for successful applications will run from January 2014 to December 2018 and there will be a maximum of £2 million per annum per CLAHRC over the five-year period.  The amount of funding allocated will be determined by the scale, nature and quality of the research activity to be conducted.

Website:  NIHR Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care

The competition closes on 13 May 2013.