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improving the health and
wealth of the nation through research |
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The Office for Strategic Co-ordination of Health Research (OSCHR)Background on the Review of Health Research in the UK and OSCHRThe Government currently funds health related research through two main routes, the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). On 31 March 2006, Sir David Cooksey was appointed to lead a review to build agreement on the best institutional arrangements for the new single fund for health research. A copy of the report can be downloaded from the Treasury website.
The review concluded that, although good progress has been made in some areas, further work is needed to ensure that publicly funded health research is carried out in the most effective and efficient way, and to facilitate rapid translation of research findings into health and economic benefits. The report recommended specific actions which Government can take to achieve this. In his Pre-Budget Report on 6 December 2006, the Chancellor announced that he and the Secretaries of State for Health and for Trade and Industry (now Department for Business Innovation and Skills) welcomed the report and would work to take forward its recommendations.
A key recommendation of the review was the establishment of a new Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research (OSCHR) that will take an overview of the budgetary division and research strategy of both the MRC and NIHR.
Where are we now?OSCHR was jointly set up as a Government office in January 2007 by the Department of Heath in England (DH) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Membership of the OSCHR Board:
| Professor Sir John Bell |
Chair OSCHR |
| Professor Adrian Smith |
Director General, Science & Research, BIS |
| Professor Dame Sally C. Davies |
Director General R&D, DH |
| Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz |
CEO, MRC |
| Dr Russell Hamilton |
Director R&D, DH |
| Professor Sir John Savill |
Chief Scientist, NHS Scotland |
| Professor Mike Harmer |
Principal Research Officer, Welsh Assembly Government |
| Dr Mark Walport |
Non-Executive Member |
| Sir Alan Langlands |
Non-Executive Member |
| Mr Andrew Witty |
Non-Executive Member | The OSCHR office is located in the Treasury Building at 1 Horse Guards Road.
ActivitiesOSCHR's mission is to facilitate more efficient translation of health research into health and economic benefits in the UK through better coordination of health research and more coherent funding arrangements to support translation.
OSCHR has responsibility for:
- Translational Medicine Research
- Public Health Research
- E-Health Records Research
- Methodology Research
- Human Capital
Three Boards – a Translational Medicine Board (TMB), an E-Health Records Research Board (EHRRB) and a Public Health Research Board (PHRB) – have been established to provide strategic oversight in these areas. These Boards do not have a direct funding role.
OSCHR published its first progress report on the 18 November 2008.
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