NIHR Public Health Research Programme

The Department of Health (DH) invests in research to support government objectives for public health, health services and social care, as well as contributing to the government science strategy.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) provides a key mechanism through which the DH will deliver the R&D strategy set out in 'Best Research for Best Health; a five-year research and development strategy for the NHS in England'.

The Public Health Research programme is one of five evaluation programmes managed by the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) on behalf of the NIHR which supports public health research.

The main focus of the Public Health Research programme is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of public health interventions.

The scope of the programme is multi-disciplinary and broad, covering a range of interventions that improve public health.

There are no fixed limits on the duration of projects or funding.

The programme is open to researchers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It is expected that applicants will collaborate, where appropriate, with partner organisations, such as local government and voluntary organisations.

Evidence of public involvement will be sought in applications.

The PHR Programme will not support the creation of new interventions, or processes, where active components of existing interventions are recombined to create a new intervention whether or not driven by a logic model or underlying theory. The design and development of new websites, apps, text messages or other software designed as all or part of creating a new intervention. Websites or other supporting material with the aim of publicising the study or supporting study recruitment, for example, which is only required to carry out the research study, would be supported within the general rules of the programme as would material associated with the optimisation of an existing intervention prior to evaluation.