NIHR Delivering Better Health

26 November 2013, Leeds

Dr David CoxDeputy Director – Research Finance & Programmes

NIHR Delivering Better Research

1. What is NIHR?

2. What has NIHR done for us?

3. What’s the NIHR Faculty?

4. What should I do in Leeds?

What is NIHR and what does it mean to me?

• The National Institute for Health Research is the largest funder of clinical research in the country: Wellcome £746m; MRC £767m; NIHR just under £1b.

• NIHR supports clinical and applied health & social care research improving health, well-being and prosperity.

• NIHR is becoming internationally recognised as the model for organising a health research system.

• You are joining a community of over 20,000 researchers, in the NHS, public health, social care and universities.

• You are part of a family of over 2000 research trainees.

“The Government is committed to a future in which research continues as a core function of the NHS.”

Earl Howe30 July 2010

Government Commitment to research in the NHS

• improve health outcomes through advances in research

• improve quality of care by NHS participation in the research process

• strengthen International competitive position in science

• drive economic growth through investment by life science industries

Why is Government committed to research?

Research and the NHS

…commitment to … the promotion, conduct and use of research to improve the current and future health and care of the population

NHS Mandate

The NHS Constitution

Sets strategic direction. Objectives include: ensure new commissioning system promotes and supports participation by NHS organisations and NHS patients in research…

“Public health research will be critical in enabling public health practice to develop into the future and address key challenges and opportunities.” (para 4.84)

Research and Public Health

Established 2006 as a vehicle for implementing Government’s strategy for applied health research.

Almost £1b spend each year.

National Institute for Health Research

Strategic AimTo improve the health and wealth of the nation through research

• outstanding individuals• working in world-class facilities• conducting leading-edge research• focused on the needs of patients and the public.

National Institute for Health Research

Vision

To create a health research system in which the NHS supports:

INVENTION EVALUATION ADOPTION

Creation• new things• new ideas• new techniques• new approaches

Assessment• new things• new ideas• new techniques• new approaches

Uptake• new things• new ideas• new techniques• new approaches

DIFFUSION

Spread• new things• new ideas• new techniques• new approaches

Basic ResearchApplied

ResearchCommissioning Patient Care

• Better Quality• Better Value

NIHR NHS Commissioners

MRC & Charities

Providers of NHS services

The Innovation Pathway

The NIHR Health Research System

Infrastructure

Clinical Research Facilities, Centres &

Units

Clinical Research Networks

Research

Research Projects & Programmes

Research ManagementSystems

Research InformationSystems

Systems

Patients&

Public

Universities

Investigators &Senior Investigators

Associates

Faculty

Trainees

Research Schools

NHS Trusts

• Radically increased number of clinical trials; 1300 new research studies via the NIHR Clinical Research Network

• Patients recruited more than doubled to over 0.6m

• Highest proportion of cancer patients in the world taking part in trials (1 in 6)

• Helped establish research culture in the NHS: 99% of NHS Trusts now delivering clinical research

• Helped reverse the decline in numbers of clinical researchers

NIHR Clinical Research Network

NIHR Stroke Research Network Recruitment

NIHR Established

Medical Schools Council – Staffing survey 2011

World citation share: Health & Medical Sciences

20102009200820072006

UK

CHINA

USA

NIHR improving health• World’s first clinical trial in gene

therapy for blinding eye disease• Saving thousands of lives following

NIHR-funded CRASH-2 trial of TXA in trauma – BMJ paper of the year

• IVAN Trial (treatments for age-related macular degeneration) could save NHS each year, more than total annual budget of HTA Programme

• Rapid response to H1N1 ‘flu pandemic including comparison of two vaccines for children.

• Novel bio-marker for pre-eclampsia (soluble ST2)

What is the Faculty?

Investigators &Senior

InvestigatorsAssociates

Faculty

Trainees

The community of people NIHR funds to train as health researchers, undertaking and supporting research:

“a vibrant community focused on research and innovation to improve the health and well-being of the nation”

• Open to all professions working in health and social care research.

• NIHR believes in your abilities and potential• NIHR will support your development

Investigators &Senior

InvestigatorsAssociates

Faculty

Trainees

Investigators

• Engaged directly in research work• Main part of salary funded by NIHR programme, unit or

centres of the Policy Research Programme

Senior Investigators

• Most eminent NIHR researchers• Funded through national competition • Just over 200

Investigators &Senior

InvestigatorsAssociates

Faculty

Trainees

Associates• Support Research• Salary supported by NIHR

• Dental and Medical ‘principal investigators’• Nursing and Midwifery Professions and Allied Health

Professionals• Administration, Management and Data Management• Health Care Scientists• Pharmacists• Research support • Clinical Psychologists

Investigators &Senior

InvestigatorsAssociates

Faculty

Trainees

Trainees

• Schemes to support training at all levels from pre-doctoral (Masters, ACF) through PhD to post-doctoral. All professions

• Trainees in NIHR Infrastructure: BRCs, BRUs, CLAHRCs

• NIHR Research Professors

Investigators &Senior

InvestigatorsAssociates

Faculty

Trainees

NIHR Research Professorships• Enable outstanding early career academics to spend 5

years dedicated to translational research (T1 or T2) at Professorial level

• Facilitate strong research leadership and develop research capacity in areas critical to accelerating the transfer of research ideas into improved health

• Nominated by University/NHS partnerships• Linked to service delivery, or collaboration with service• 18 awards; 3 rounds so far

What Faculty membership offers?

• Funding to train and develop as a researcher – NIHR now funds from Masters to Chair

• Leadership Development – • Trainee Leaders: identified by

TCC, in early leadership roles• Mentorship – 1:1 or group• Career development

opportunities –training camp• Faculty World

Investigators &Senior

InvestigatorsAssociates

Faculty

Trainees

What do you need to do? The 6 Cs1. Capitalise on the opportunities that being

part of NIHR offers - including this meeting

2. Collect a mentor

3. Connect – network; your future Colleagues may be in this room

4. Collaborate – health research benefits from different professionals and disciplines working together

5. Cultivate your career – this time is not just about learning to be an academic

Only 5 Cs?

Investigators &Senior

InvestigatorsAssociates

Faculty

Trainees

And what do you need to do in Leeds?

• All of the above ...• This is a great opportunity to

discover things and meet people• NIHR organises this event each

year because it believes in your potential – improvements in health will depend on you.

And a 6th C: a bit of celebration is permitted