Research delivery pilot

The NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) Specialist Centre for Public Health delivered by Newcastle University and Partners is launching a two-year pilot programme, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, to strengthen research delivery support for public health research outside the NHS. 

This pilot addresses a gap in the current research landscape by supporting studies that fall outside the remit of the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN). 

The pilot will: 

• Understand the needs of researchers working in non-NHS public health settings 

• Co-design a new delivery support service with researchers and stakeholders 

• Expand pre award support, including study placement and feasibility 

• Test post award delivery support, helping researchers to implement their studies 

This work will be a close collaboration across NIHR infrastructure, particularly with the RDN. Together, the aim is to create a joined-up research support offer spanning both NHS and non-NHS public health settings. 

By September 2027, the pilot will deliver recommendations on how a future service could be structured, scaled, and hosted. 

If you’d like to find out more about this work, please get in touch with us: nihr.rss.publichealth@newcastle.ac.uk