Media work

Press releases and media activity

Award holders, through their host institution communications teams, are required to send details of all media activity to the relevant NIHR coordinating centre team. This notification should take place as soon as reasonably practicable and a minimum of three working days prior to any journalist outreach. Notification should include copies of all press releases and, where possible, the relevant research papers.

Media activity that should be notified to the NIHR includes:

• A press release being issued through the researchers’ host or partner institution

• A press release being issued by the journal, funder or partner in the research

• A researcher taking part in interviews for press or broadcast

• A media exclusive or journalist briefings

Please get in touch with the comms team in the relevant NIHR coordinating centre as soon as you and your institution's media team have decided to issue a press release or prepare for media activity. Please supply a copy of the research paper/report, where appropriate.

The coordinating centre will review the press release and share it with the relevant staff at the NIHR and DHSC. All embargoes and confidentiality requirements will be respected by the NIHR and DHSC.

Our Communications Team contacts

• NIHR Academy: academy.comms@nihr.ac.uk

• NIHR Central Commissioning Facility: ccfcomms@nihr.ac.uk

• NIHR Centre for Engagement and Dissemination: ced@nihr.ac.uk

• NIHR Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre: rdncc.comms@nihr.ac.uk

• NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre:  netscomms@nihr.ac.uk

What to include about the NIHR in press releases and media outreach

Acknowledge the NIHR

Press releases must acknowledge NIHR funding or support for the research by naming and linking to the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), ideally in the first or second paragraph of the body of the press release.

Examples:

• Researchers funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

• Research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

• Researchers at the University of Bristol funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

• NIHR research(ers) at the University of Leeds...'

• An NIHR study at ....

We would suggest that you work in a suitable descriptor for the NIHR within your press release or media engagement, for example:

• the NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth

• the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research partner of the NHS, public health and social care

• the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), a major funder of global health research and training

What to include in Notes to Editors

Add our boilerplate

Please include the following NIHR boilerplate in the notes to editors section of your press release:

STARTS

The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:

• Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;

• Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;

• Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;

• Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;

• Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;

• Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK international development funding from the UK government.

ENDS

You may also wish to include in the notes to editors additional information about the specific NIHR programme or training scheme that the press release relates to.

For the EME Programme, please also add the MRC's boilerplate in the notes to editors section of your press release.

Promote Be Part of Research

Now the volunteer service arm of Be Part of Research has been officially launched to the public, it's important we promote it as much as possible to raise awareness of its benefits.

This sentence can be used at the end of press releases or in editor notes to promote Be Part of Research:

"Visit the Be Part of Research website to learn more about research, search for opportunities and sign up to be contacted about studies that interest you."

Please use the following paragraph if you're writing for a researcher audience:

"Work in research? Need help recruiting to your study? The NIHR’s Be Part of Research service is the first UK-wide volunteer registry covering all health and care specialties, with over 600,000 research-ready volunteers signed up.  Find out how Be Part of Research can accelerate recruitment to your study: bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/researchers"

News stories 

News stories about your NIHR research on your institution’s website 

We don’t need to approve the copy of your news stories, but we do expect you to link from the NIHR mention in the story to the NIHR website.

If you're planning to tweet about your news, please tag @NIHRresearch and we may be able to retweet.