The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced a £157 million investment over 5 years in 10 NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs).
From April 2026, the new ARCs will support the transformation set out in the NHS 10 Year Plan, the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the Government’s Health and Growth Missions by tackling some of the UK’s most pressing health and social care challenges through high-quality applied research. They will also drive effective interventions and models of care into practice at pace.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTHFT) will host the Yorkshire & Humber ARC (YH ARC), continuing its leadership in applied health research for the region’s 5.4 million residents.
Professor Mel Pickup, Chief Executive Officer of BTHFT said:
”Bradford plays host to world-class research thanks to the pioneering work of our research teams and centres of excellence, it is a privilege for our Trust to host the Yorkshire and Humber ARC. This cements our position as a Trust that values and promotes the role research plays in helping us address our current and anticipated future challenges in health and care.”
Professor John Wright, Director of Research at Bradford Institute of Health Research and current Director of the Yorkshire & Humber ARC, added:
“This new investment recognises the impact of our people-powered research and the strength of our regional partnerships. YH ARC will continue to focus on the health priorities that matter most to our communities – from healthy childhood and mental health to urgent care and ageing. We are proud to be leading this work from Bradford.”
Mark, public contributor to Connected Bradford and Y&H SDE programmes said:
“It’s thrilling to see Bradford at the heart of this valuable collaborative research venture aiming to provide practical healthcare solutions for many of the challenges that the district and wider UK communities face”.
The Yorkshire & Humber ARC is a collaborative partnership involving universities, NHS trusts, local authorities, Health Innovation Network, Integrated Care Boards and the voluntary sector. Through these partnerships, the ARCs will:
- Identify, develop and deliver high-quality research on applied health, public health and social care that tackles the UK’s healthcare challenges, particularly in under-represented areas.
- Provide greater resource and expertise to support implementation of effective interventions and models of care into practice across the country, working closely with system partners.
- Provide enhanced health economic expertise to ensure the economic impact of evidence is better understood to support decisions on efficiency and growth.
- Collaborate with commercial companies to evaluate and implement new NHS treatments and technologies, fostering UK economic growth.
- Speed up the implementation of research findings through the use of knowledge mobilisation.
- Address health inequalities by embedding inclusive approaches across all projects.
This investment underscores the NIHR’s commitment to deliver impactful, patient-centred research. ARCs will deliver research which is applicable and scalable across the health and social care sectors across England.
Health Innovation Minister, Zubir Ahmed, said:
“This funding will accelerate the breakthroughs that will underpin the success of our NHS 10 Year Health Plan, ensuring research is going from laboratory to living room and supporting the shift from patient to prevention
“As we work towards our mission of building an NHS fit for the future, this investment will drive the innovations that matter most to people’s daily lives.
“Every pound invested in this research is an investment in hope – hope for faster diagnoses, more effective treatments, and a health system that truly works for everyone, no matter where they live or what their background.”
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and CEO of the NIHR, said:
“This new funding shows the NIHR’s ongoing commitment to developing and delivering high-quality health and care research across the country. The investment will enable the Applied Research Collaborations to continue to bring new treatments and technologies to patients and the public, supporting the aims of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan to champion innovation and power transformation.”
Further funding to aid collaboration and efficiency
In addition, up to £75 million will also be available to NIHR ARCs for research to support the Department of Health and Social Care’s research priorities. This funding will galvanise rapid, responsive collaboration across the ARCs and other NIHR infrastructure to address emerging health and social care issues over the next 5 years and increase the speed at which research findings are implemented.
The NIHR is also investing £5 million to establish an ARC Network, which will provide national strategic and operational coordination for the designated ARCs. The ARC Network will also act as a focal point for collaboration between the ARCs and facilitate links with national partners.
In addition to the 10 new confirmed ARCs, the NIHR is also making up to £22 million available for a new pan-London ARC. Applications are invited from any NHS organisation in London or the surrounding areas that can demonstrate a significant portfolio and expertise within applied health, public health and social care research. Applicants are expected to develop significant partnership working across London institutions and evidence a coherent collaboration that brings in a range of expertise as befits the research needs of the capital’s health and care systems.
Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said:
“The NIHR is committed to providing the funding needed, at all stages of the research journey, to ensure that the best treatments and care get to the patients who need them, as efficiently and effectively as possible. The ARCs play a vital role in this process, generating evidence around new technologies and treatments, as well as innovative ways of delivering care – all of which seek to boost the public’s health and wellbeing, and increase NHS productivity.”
The 10 new ARCs will be hosted by:
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
History of success
Since their formation in 2019, the ARCs have been instrumental in delivering applied health, public health and social care research that improves outcomes for patients. Examples include:
- Supporting the fight against COVID-19 through more than 400 research projects, on topics including predicting hospital bed occupancy; patient data sharing; point-of-care testing in care homes, and the impact of the pandemic on GP consultations.
- Research support which contributed to the introduction of Bradford’s Clean Air Zone. One year following its launch, GPs were seeing around 700 fewer patients for breathing problems each month, easing pressure on waiting times.
- Research which led to a new tool that enables GPs to intervene early to manage older people’s risk of frailty. This is now being used in 60% of GP practices across England, helping doctors prevent falls, reduce medications and limit hospital visits.
- Collaboration across the ARCs to support the implementation of supervised toothbrushing for young children to protect them from painful tooth decay, which disrupts education and family life. This led to the roll-out of a significant new public health initiative.
- Co-developing the Deep End North East North Cumbria GP Network, which involves 52 GP practices based in very socioeconomically deprived areas and improves access to mental health support, managing cardiovascular disease risk, and reducing reliance on strong pain medication.