Introducing NIHR communications

To help ground you in your role, this page provides a summary of each of the sections of the site, so you know where to find guidance, useful resources and know who to contact with any questions. There’s also links to complementary material on the NIHR website, including ‘Our governance’ and annual reports.

Our purpose

NIHR’s role is to fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

NIHR communications leads across the NIHR position and promote the aspects of NIHR’s role managed by their centre, or part of the NIHR required to deliver NIHR’s core workstreams.

We also prioritise communications that underpin NIHR’s areas of strategic focus, as outlined in 'Best Research for Best Health: The Next Chapter'.

NIHR's national communications plan 

We have 6 key objectives in our communications plan for 2022-25:

• Health and care professionals, patients and the public engage with research

• External stakeholders value, trust and engage with NIHR 

• Internal stakeholders feel part of NIHR and function as advocates

• NIHR is known for its strategic priorities and demonstrates thought leadership

• NIHR’s digital channels are engaging, inclusive and integrated

• Communications delivers a sustainable, ‘One NIHR’ service

NIHR Communications leads directory

We use our directory to help keep each part of the NIHR communications network connected. It enables our coordinating centre teams to keep DHSC in sync with notable news and research developments from the respective parts of the NIHR they manage. Also, we can keep communications colleagues up to date on how they should apply NIHR's visual identity guidelines and naming conventions.

If you are a communications lead within NIHR infrastructure or a school or unit and you are not yet in the directory and would like to be, please contact ccfcomms@nihr.ac.uk with your name and email address. If you are also new to your role, see our guide to Being a comms lead.