POLICY RESEARCH PROGRAMME
Musculoskeletal Physical Activity Hubs in the Community evaluation
Research is needed to evaluate whether the MSK Hubs project is meeting its objectives and whether it offers value for money. The research priorities are:
- to establish how the programme is structured and functions, how it works and the mechanisms through which the programme has an effect
- to evaluate the impact of MSK Hubs on the health and work outcomes of those who receive the intervention, compared to the counterfactual
- to build an understanding of the most promising models that can be developed at the local level
- to understand whether the anticipated benefits of MSK Hubs are being realised
- to provide an estimate of the value for money of MSK Hubs (depending on programme funding, as discussed above)
These are set out in more detail on the opportunity webpage.
Value and duration: £850,000 is available and applicants should bid on the assumption of a full evaluation lasting until 2028/29
Outline application deadline: 16 September 2025
Health’s Role in Corporate Parenting
Research is being commissioned to gain a comprehensive understanding of health practitioners’ and organisations’ current input into corporate parenting that would highlight the challenges and gaps in health services to address in the development of this policy, and act as a baseline to measure its impact once implemented.
Value and duration: £550,000 for 18 months
Outline application deadline: 16 September 2025
PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH
Commercial practices and gambling
Research question: What are the impacts of the commercial practices associated with gambling on health and health inequalities?
Value and duration: no upper limit
Webinar: 7 October 2025 (sign up here)
Outline application deadline: 9 December 2025
Research question: What are the health and health inequality impacts of interventions aimed at promoting good mental health or preventing poor mental health among men?
Value and duration: no upper limit
Webinar: 7 October 2025 (sign up here)
Outline application deadline: 9 December 2025
Modelling the effects of public policy on e-cigarette use
Research question: What can modelling tell us about the impact of current and potential public policies on e-cigarette use?
Value and duration: no upper limit
Webinar: 7 October 2025 (sign up here)
Outline application deadline: 9 December 2025
Research question: What are the effects of interventions on the mental, physical, or both aspects of Veterans’ health?
Value and duration: no upper limit
Webinar: 7 October 2025 (sign up here)
Outline application deadline: 21 April 2026
RESEARCH FOR PATIENT BENEFIT
The Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme is inviting outline proposals that are concerned with the day-to-day practice of health service staff, and that have the potential to have an impact on the health or wellbeing of patients and users of the NHS.
As a researcher-led programme, RfPB does not specify topics for research but instead encourages proposals for projects that address a wide range of health service issues and challenges.
Please note that RfPB applications must be made through an NHS body (or other provider of NHS services in England) who will act as the contracting organisation.
Value and duration: the programme has an upper limit of £500,000 for research costs and a maximum project duration of 36 months
Outline application deadline: 5 November 2025