NIHR changes name with added emphasis on social care

The National Institute for Health Research has changed its name to become the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Since its establishment in 2006, the NIHR, which the organisation will still be known as, has invested over £200 million in more than 470 social care research projects across its portfolio, with £90 million worth of NIHR-funded social care studies starting in the last three years. Of these, over a third have been funded by the NIHR’s dedicated School for Social Care Research.

As well as the £200 million in direct funding, the body has also supported and delivered social care research through its wider infrastructure, in particular the Applied Research Collaborations which worked with local authorities to support over 80 studies in 2020/2021, and the Research Design Service which supports researchers to develop high quality applications.

As part of the announcement, an increase in spending of £5 million a year has been dedicated to social care research, some of which will go towards funding an additional call run through the Research for Social Care programme.

Furthermore, the Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme is launching a ‘Social Care Rapid Evaluation’ funding call, designed to fund new teams to deliver rapid reviews of promising social care innovations identified by the social care sector. This will generate nationally relevant evidence to improve care and outcomes for people who use services and professionals delivering those services.

Lucy Chappell, chief executive of the NIHR, said: “At NIHR, we believe that funding and supporting research that expands and strengthens the way that social care is provided is one of the most important ways to improve standards of care for people who need it. We want to support the incredible work being done on the ground by both paid and unpaid carers.

“This name change is more than symbolic. Our history of investment in social care research already tells a strong story, and today’s concrete plans to further fund and support such research are a clear affirmation of our commitment to this vital part of the health and care sector.

“It is our hope that today’s name change will inspire not just current and future generations of social care researchers, whose talent and expertise can revolutionise the social care sector, but also people who need care and support, carers, the public and those working in social care. The involvement of all these groups will be key to getting the right research to the right places in the right way.”