How the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Supports Research

At the core of the NIHR is a commitment to fund high quality health and care research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care, attracting, supporting and developing the best researchers tackling the complex health and care challenges of the future, and providing research evidence to inform health and care practice.

Through their diverse funding programmes, world-class support services, partnerships with the research community and other national and international stakeholders, and through the opportunities the NIHR enables you to help shape their research agenda. Being part of the research community makes a real difference to the health and wealth of the nation.

The NIHR supports the delivery of research across 31 specialty therapy areas. These therapy areas provide researchers with the practical support they need to develop proposals to secure funding, set up and deliver clinical research in the NHS and wider health and social care environment and to facilitate the involvement of participants to make research more effective, representative and reliable.

There are a variety of ways in which health and care professionals can get involved in the research activities of the NIHR. You can lead research in your field of interest, be a co-applicant or principal investigator for a study, advise sponsors or sites about the shape and feasibility of their research or take a lead in recruiting and delivering a study. Or, more simply, you can stay abreast of the latest evidence, read the research articles from the NIHR Journal Library and encourage your patients and service users to get involved in a study taking place at Provide.

Remember - every role and every profession is important!