NIHR has launched new themed funding focused on early action to prevent poor health outcomes. It forms part of a co-ordinated response by NIHR to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Areas of Research Interest 1 (ARI1).
The theme aims to generate high-quality research into the evaluation of health and care interventions and services which address gaps in our understanding of preventative strategies, early diagnosis techniques, and effective interventions for individuals at increased risk of chronic diseases such as:
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Mental health disorders
- Hearing loss
- Musculoskeletal disorders (MSK)
- Cancer
All research proposals will be expected to consider engagement, impact and knowledge mobilisation strategies, in addition to the following cross-cutting themes:
- Reducing health inequalities, by addressing the social determinants of health, the clustering of risk factors in the most disadvantaged populations with the greatest disease burden, ensuring equitable access to services and tailored interventions designed to reduce disparities.
- Promoting economic growth in the broadest sense, including a healthier workforce, a more efficient NHS, a higher skilled health and social care workforce, and through investment in the life sciences.
- Accelerating the speed and adoption of innovation in the health and care system.
HOW TO APPLY
Researchers can apply for relevant funding via upcoming NIHR funding opportunities. Participating funding programmes and confirmed call opening dates are as follows:
- Research Programme for Social Care – 1 October 2024
- Programme Grants for Applied Research – 9 October 2024
- Research for Patient Benefit – 13 November 2024
- Health Technology Assessment – 28 November 2024
- Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation – 11 December 2024
- Public Health Research – 17 December 2024
- Invention for Innovation – 13 January 2025
- Health and Social Care Delivery Research – TBC
Current funding opportunities for DHSC ARI1:
- NIHR PGfAR DHSC Areas of Research Interest One Early Action To Prevent Poor Health Outcomes
- NIHR Three Schools Prevention Research Programme
- Studies seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of women
- Management of blood pressure in elderly people with hypertension and symptomatic postural hypotension
- Healthy extended working lives
- Stop smoking interventions for underserved groups
- Interventions to promote mental health and wellbeing among young women
- Workforce health
- Behavioural overweight and obesity management interventions that include long term support in achieving and maintaining weight loss in children and young people
- Doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (DCAF)
- Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (ACAF)
- Research Programme for Social Care Competition 3
NIHR HIGHLIGHT NOTICES
NIHR also publishes notices that highlight areas of ongoing health research priorities for its funding programmes.
The current highlight notices are:
- Compound Pressures (a cross-programme call for research which evaluates health and care interventions and services, to reduce compound pressures on the NHS and social care).
- Brain tumours (a call for collaborative research into any aspect of brain tumours including diagnosis, treatment, and supporting patients).
- Motor neurone disease (a cross-programme call for research proposals to accelerate progress in and learning from MND clinical trials).
- Dementia (this call invites proposals for dementia research that looks to address important health and social care questions, particularly focusing on meeting the needs of underserved populations).