Department For Health And Social Care Announces New NIHR Research Delivery Network

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that a new NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) will commence in 2024. It will support the successful delivery of health and social care research in England.

Support for research delivery will include studies funded by government, industry, and charity partners. It will ensure a thriving and vibrant portfolio of studies so that as many patients as possible have opportunities to take part.

The government’s ambitious strategy is to make the UK the best place in the world for commercial companies to bring new treatments and technologies. The review into commercial clinical trials by Lord O’Shaughnessy in May 2023 set out a clear blueprint for how the UK can return to its global leadership role. With this in mind, the RDN will ensure a strong and seamless connection between industry and the NHS.

After an open competition, the University of Leeds will be the supplier of the NIHR Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre (RDNCC). The contract will run until 31 March 2029. They will be joined by 12 new Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs). These will be hosted by NHS Organisations the length and breadth of the country. The Regional RDN contracts will begin on 1 October 2024.

Together, they will form the NIHR Research Delivery Network. This will operate as a single organisation across England. It has a joint leadership function that will balance regional context, expertise and leadership, with national co-ordination and strategy, involving DHSC policymakers.

The new NIHR RDN will support the country’s world-class research system to deliver high quality research that enables the best care for patients and the public. It will work across the health and care system. It will have staff in all health and care settings, to support the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of research. This will benefit people receiving care now and in the future. It will support the NHS and care services and generate benefits for the economy of the UK.

The NIHR RDN is new, responding to the needs of the health and care research system of the present day. But it will build on the notable successes of the NIHR CRN. The CRN supported a transformation in the strength of England’s research delivery system, promoted the successful delivery of studies and underpinned the dramatic expansion of health research participation.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR said: “The new NIHR Research Delivery Network is designed to provide an enhanced, consistent service for all those involved in research delivery. It includes part of a system wide drive to increase commercial clinical trials, ensuring we work more effectively than ever with the life sciences industry to deliver the best, most cutting-edge health and care research for the British public, alongside research funded by the government and charities.”

“Access to research opportunities in under-served regions is crucial and the new NIHR RDN will be pivotal in supporting new treatment and models of care to communities with major health and care needs. It will build capacity to extend research delivery in primary, community and social care settings to make it easier for patients to get access to cutting-edge treatment, through research.

“The plans and ambitions we have for the RDN have evolved from the excellent work of the Clinical Research Network over the last nine years. Its many dedicated staff have worked incredibly hard to support England to deliver some of the best health and care research during this time. Without their passion and determination, so much of the world-leading research produced in this country during the COVID-19 pandemic would not have been possible.”