Policies and guidelines

Key policies and guidelines for our staff and the researchers we fund.

The NIHR funds world-leading research and we operate to the highest standards. 

We are signatories of both the Concordat to Support Research Integrity and the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. 

At NIHR, we expect our staff and the researchers we fund to abide by all regulatory and legislative frameworks in relation to research practice, transparency and governance. We are committed to fully investigating any alleged wrongdoing and ensuring individuals are confident and protected in bringing matters to our attention. We support and adhere to the government approach to whistleblowing.

Branding and acknowledgement

Our key guidelines for using the NIHR visual identity and acknowledging the contribution of the NIHR.

Acknowledging the NIHR

Find out when you need to notify us of research outputs and how to acknowledge NIHR.

Our visual identity

Our branding and identity guidance explains how to correctly apply the NIHR visual identity.

Research practice

Clinical trial registration and disclosure of results

The NIHR policy on clinical trial registration and disclosure of results sets out our expectations of funded researchers undertaking clinical trials.

Reward and recognition for public contributors

How NIHR supports members of the public to be involved by rewarding and recognising them through payment and reimbursement of expenses

Sharing of research data

The NIHR strongly supports the appropriate sharing of data produced during research, to help deliver research that maximises benefits to patients and the wider public, the health and care system and which contributes to economic growth in the UK.

Use of Researchfish for analysis, evaluation and impact assessment

The NIHR uses information provided to us by our award holders (researchers and Centres) via Researchfish for a variety of analytical purposes to inform our research, evaluation, impact assessment, comparative analysis and continuous improvement activities.

Designing research

Read guidance for researchers about registering different types of NIHR-funded research studies

Use of animals in research

Our funding is focused on translational, clinical and applied health and care research. We therefore do not fund basic research or work involving animals, animal tissue or both.

However, we do work in close partnership with the Medical Research Council, which funds animal research in carefully defined circumstances. We recognise that the carefully regulated use of animals in research is important in understanding disease and in developing safe and effective ways of preventing or treating illness.

We also recognise the need for robust application of the 3Rs – that animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, that the number of animals used is reduced to the minimum needed to achieve the results sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.

Read more about the government’s policies on research using animals set out in Working to reduce the use of animals in scientific research (.PDF) (.PDF).

Research culture and integrity

A positive research culture requires a number of key elements to support it and these include a supportive environment for researchers and their career development, and clear principles for research integrity and conducting research.

NIHR Conflicts of Interest Policy - Funding and Awards

This policy is to ensure that the personal and institutional interests of those involved in reviewing applications do not influence the decision making process.

Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers

NIHR is a signatory to this concordat which is an agreement between stakeholders including funders and employers to improve the employment and support for researchers and researcher careers in higher education in the UK.

Bullying and harassment

There is no place for bullying and harassment in the workplace or related working environment. Our policy promotes a culture of inclusivity and tolerance which enables people to thrive.

The senior member of staff responsible for oversight of research integrity is Dr Mark Toal (Deputy Director of Research Systems at the Department of Health and Social Care; nihrpolicies@dhsc.gov.uk). The NIHR lead contact for research integrity is Quinton Newell (Director of Strategic Operations at the NIHR Coordinating Centre); quinton.newell@nihr.ac.uk). 

Responsible Use of Metrics

NIHR’s Position on Responsible Use of Metrics describes our commitment to assessing research on its own merits.

Research management and conduct

The UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research outlines the principles of good practice in the management and conduct of health and social care research in the UK. All NIHR-funded research must be completed in accordance with this framework. Any potential complaint relating to misconduct in research will be investigated and managed under the UKRIO Code of Practice for Research .

Open access publishing

Our open access policy requires all peer-reviewed research articles arising from NIHR-funded research studies to be made immediately open access under an open licence.

Open access policy

Open access request forms

Open access policy review

NIHR Open Access publications funding guidance

Open access policy guidance

Technical standards for journals, publishing platforms and repositories

Privacy and FOI

The NIHR privacy policy outlines how we use and securely protect any information that you give us when you use the NIHR website and other websites, systems and services of organisations that are contracted to the Department of Health and Social Care.

It covers the type of information we collect and what we do with it, and also how long we keep it.

As part of this policy you have a right to find out about the personal information we hold about you. If you would like a copy of your personal data or if you have any questions about the privacy policy please write or email:

NIHR Service Desk
Back Lane
Melbourn
Royston
SG8 6DP

gdpr_requests@nihr.ac.uk

Researchers and study coordinators must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with respect to processing personal data, such as from research participants.

The Health Research Authority has published operational guidance on the implications of the GDPR for the delivery of research in the UK. 

People who are invited to take part in health and care research must give informed consent before being enrolled. For consent to be considered both legal and ethical it must be:

  • given by a person with capacity
  • voluntarily given, with no undue influence
  • given by someone who has been adequately informed
  • a fair choice.

We expect that research funded or supported by the NIHR follows best practice in consent and the preparation of information for participants, as set out by the Health Research Authority. 

The NIHR is subject to the Freedom of Information arrangements of the Department of Health and Social Care. More information on their policy and how to make a request is available on the Department of Health and Social Care website. 

If you have any questions about our policies or guidelines, please contact the policies team.