The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) provides the framework through which the Department of Health can position, maintain and manage the research, research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England as a national research facility.

The NIHR’s vision is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR briefing documents set out the aims and the measures the NIHR has in place to achieve this. The briefing documents were updated in January 2012, and two new documents were published – 4.11 Research Capability Funding and 4.12 Translational Research Partnerships.

1. The National Institute for Health Research

2. NIHR Faculty and research capacity development

 2.1 NIHR Faculty  

 2.2 Research Training and Career Development

 2.3 Leadership Support and Development Programme

3. NIHR research programmes

 3.1 Commissioned research programmes

 3.2 Response mode research programmes 

 3.3 Research Schools 

4. NIHR research infrastructure

 4.1 Clinical Research Network

 4.2 Biomedical Research Centres

 4.3 Biomedical Research Units

 4.4 Clinical Research Facilities for Experimental Medicine

 4.5 Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care

 4.6 NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure   

 4.7 Research Design Service

 4.9 Patient Safety and Service Quality Research Centres

 4.10 Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres

 4.11 Research Capability Funding

 4.12 Translational Research Partnerships

5. NIHR research systems and governance

 5.1 Proportionate Systems of Research Governance  

 5.2 Research Support Services 

 5.3 Information Systems Function