NIHR in the West of England

The NIHR is a complex, devolved organisation which can be confusing. Here’s what each part of the local NIHR does, and who it’s designed to help.

There is some overlap between the different parts. For example, the Research Design Service and Bristol Trials Centre both offer support for grant applications. The different parts also collaborate and work together.

If in doubt, get in touch with the part you feel is most relevant and they will be happy to help.

Enabling research

NIHR South West Research Design Service (RDS)

A bespoke service to help you design studies and successfully apply for grants
The RDS South West, which in Bristol is hosted by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), supports researchers to develop applications to the NIHR and other applied health and social care research funders. Whether you’re at the beginning of your research design journey or you’re one click away from submitting your funding application, the RDS is here to support you, free of charge. The RDS can help you: develop a research question and start your public involvement consultation; consider the funding programme, build the team and alert organisations; decide on study design, develop methods; write the research proposal; submit the research application; and provide post-award support. RDS advisers can even get involved as full collaborators on projects.

• Who’s it for? Researchers and clinicians who are developing a research application to national funders of applied health and social care research, especially the NIHR
• Geography: The RDS is based in universities and the NHS across the whole of the south west with its main centres in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and Bournemouth
• www.rds-sw.nihr.ac.uk

Bristol Trials Centre (BTC)

Collaborating with you to set up and manage studies, from grant application to publishing results
The Bristol Trials Centre collaborates with researchers as academic partners to design and deliver studies. From turning research ideas into grant applications, to delivering the research and disseminating results, BTC can work with you at every stage of the study lifecycle. The team has extensive expertise in trials methodology, study design, study management, statistical analysis and data management, including bespoke database design. There are also experts in health economics and social science. BTC is part-funded by NIHR.

• Who’s it for? Researchers and clinicians who are developing a study (including randomised trials and non-randomised studies) and would like to collaborate with an established team to deliver it
• Geography: Bristol-based but successfully collaborating with centres of excellence and lead researchers nationally and internationally
• www.bristol.ac.uk/health-sciences/research/clinical-trials/
• Contact BTC: btc-mailbox@bristol.ac.uk

NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) West of England

Helping you run clinical research in the NHS, public health and social care settings
The CRN West of England, hosted at UHBW, facilitates research in NHS, Public Health and social care settings, supporting portfolio studies in 30 specialties in sites such as universities, schools, care homes, hospices, prisons and clinical settings. To be eligible for portfolio inclusion your study must meet the definition of research, have ethical approval and full funding from open national competition. The CRN Study Support Service offers advice at every stage, from whether a study is feasible to help with permissions in different settings to the delivery of research. They also offer free training for research teams and encourage healthcare staff and the public to Be Part of Research.

• Who’s it for? Researchers and clinicians who are conducting research in the NHS, public health or social care settings, healthcare staff, early career researchers and patients and the public who are interested in getting involved in research
• Geography: The west of England, including Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire
• local.nihr.ac.uk/lcrn/west-of-england/

Conducting research

NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)

Bridging the gap between fundamental research and new treatments
Bristol BRC’s innovative biomedical research takes science from the laboratory bench or computer and develops it into new drugs, treatments or health advice. Its world-leading scientists work on many aspects of health, from the role played by individual genes and proteins to analysing large collections of data on hundreds of thousands of people. Bristol BRC is unique among the NIHR’s 20 BRCs across England, thanks to its expertise in ground-breaking population health research. It is hosted by UHBW.

• Who’s it for? Researchers, clinicians, industry, patients and the public, policymakers
• Geography: Bristol based, but its research has national and international impact
• www.bristolbrc.nihr.ac.uk

NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol

Applied research to protect the public’s health and support the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
The Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation conducts applied research on the development and evaluation of interventions to protect the public’s health, drawing on insights and expertise from behavioural science. They aim to support UKHSA (formerly Public Health England) in delivering its objectives and functions, focusing on UKHSA’s priorities.

• Who’s it for? Researchers, public health practitioners, the public, policymakers
• Geography: Bristol based, but its research has national and international impact
• www.hprubse.nihr.ac.uk

NIHR School for Primary Care Research (SPCR)

Driving forward primary care research to influence policy and practice
The NIHR School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) is a partnership between nine leading academic centres for primary care research in England, with the University of Bristol hosting the Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC). CAPC is a leading centre for primary care research in the UK. It sits within the Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching.

• Who’s it for? Researchers, GPs and other primary health care professionals, patients and the public, policymakers
• Geography: National with a centre hosted in Bristol. Its research has national and international impact
• spcr.nihr.ac.uk

NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR)

Driving forward public health research to influence policy and practice
The NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) is a partnership between eight leading academic centres of excellence in public health research, and the Centre for Public Health at the University of Bristol hosts one of these centres. It sits within Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching.

• Who’s it for? Researchers, public health practitioners, the public, policymakers
• Geography: National with a centre hosted in Bristol. Its research has national and international impact
• sphr.nihr.ac.uk

NIHR School for Social Care Research (SSCR)

Driving forward adult social care research to influence policy and practice
The NIHR School for Social Care Research (SSCR) is a partnership between seven leading academic centres of excellence in adult social care research. In Bristol, the SSCR team is based in the University of Bristol’s School for Policy Studies (Social Sciences & Law).

• Who’s it for? Researchers, social care practitioners and users of social care services, the public, policymakers
• Geography: All of England with a centre hosted in Bristol. Its research has national and international impact
• sscr.nihr.ac.uk

NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (ARC West)

Applied health research to address the issues facing the health and social care system
ARC West conducts applied health research with its partners and others in the health and care sector, alongside patients and members of the public. Applied health research aims to address the immediate issues facing the health and social care system. They also help bring research evidence into practice and provide training for the local workforce. The ARC is hosted by UHBW.

• Who’s it for? Researchers, clinicians, public health, voluntary sector, industry, patients and the public, policymakers
• Geography: The west of England, including Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. Its research has local, regional, national and international impact
• arc-w.nihr.ac.uk

The research pipeline

How each part of the local NIHR that is responsible for conducting research fits into the research pipeline, from discovery and invention, to diffusion and widespread implementation.