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NIHR Senior Investigators - Guidance for Applicants

Contents

Published: 29 June 2020

Version: 4.0 - February 2023

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This guidance was for applicants to call 16 of the NIHR's Senior Investigators funding scheme. This call is was open June to August 2022. This guidance will be be revised ahead of call 17 in 2023.

Introduction

The vision of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR is committed to funding high quality health, public health and social care research that translates into improvements in outcomes for patients, people who need care and support services, carers and the public, and improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of the health and social care systems.

In line with NIHR’s areas of strategic focus outlined in Best Research for Best Health: The Next Chapter we are welcoming applicants from diverse professional backgrounds, including, but not limited to those with an interest in social care research, and from nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, pharmacists, clinical scientists and methodologists.

NIHR Senior Investigators are among the most prominent and prestigious researchers funded by the NIHR and the most outstanding leaders of applied health and social care research within the NIHR community. There are up to 200 members of the NIHR College of Senior Investigators, and the intention is to maintain numbers at this level through continuing annual rounds of competition.

This document sets out the process for the open competition for NIHR Investigators to apply for an NIHR Senior Investigator award. Applications will be reviewed by selection committees which will make award recommendations to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Aims of the scheme

The NIHR Senior Investigator award is a personal award in recognition of outstanding contribution to applied health, public health or social care research and support for NIHR.

Senior Investigators, as the NIHR’s most prominent and prestigious researchers, are fundamental to the NIHR. They provide visible leadership and support the strategic priorities of the NIHR. The aim of this programme is to ensure that those within the Senior Investigator College contribute significantly to NIHR as senior leaders, and act as ambassadors and role models for the NIHR.

About the award

The NIHR Senior Investigator award is a personal award in recognition of outstanding contribution to applied health, public health or social care research.

Senior Investigators receive a 4-year award on the recommendation of the committee. Senior Investigators may apply for a second award on completion of their first award and they can receive a maximum of two awards which may total no more than 8 years.

Senior Investigators also become members of the NIHR Academy, with an enhanced role in providing senior leadership and helping to develop research capability and capacity. More information is available on the NIHR Academy webpage and on the Senior Investigators webpage.

As a condition of appointment, successful applicants are expected to join a half-day Senior Investigators’ induction meeting for all new first term and successful second term Senior Investigators. The purpose of the meeting is to help Senior Investigators navigate their role, meet with fellow Senior Investigators, and discuss topical issues with DHSC and NIHR colleagues.

Prior to and during the period of the award, Senior Investigators:

Contribute significantly to NIHR as a senior leader

  • Support NIHR committees and peer review activities, serve on NIHR Boards and in other roles involved in the NIHR Infrastructure.
  • Engage with and provide advice to the Chief Scientific Adviser, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Midwife for England, DHSC’s Chief Social Worker and the DHSC’s Science, Research and Evidence Directorate, on key activities and programmes.
  • Provide leadership across NIHRs research and systems, supporting the embedding of practices around equality, diversity and inclusion and fostering a positive research culture – which can include in Local Authorities and social care settings as well as NHS or health settings.
  • Provide and promote strategic leadership within NIHR at a regional and national level

Lead in Training and Development of NIHR’s people

  • Become an active member of the NIHR Academy.
  • Maintain a strong track record in training and developing researchers and shaping the training agenda.
  • Mentor other members of the NIHR workforce as part of the NIHR Academy Mentorship Programme.
  • Engage with and take part in activities run through the NIHR Leadership Programme.

Act as an ambassador for the NIHR in the wider system

  • Act as ambassadors and advocates for NIHR, identifying and promoting NIHR activities.
  • Work with stakeholders, including the NHS, public health and social care systems, to promote, support and deliver NIHR’s strategic aims and priorities.
  • Be key communicators within and about the NIHR.

Demonstrate Research Excellence

  • Develop and maintain a track record of excellence in applied health, public health or social care research that is of benefit to patients, people who need care and support services, carers, the public or the health and social care systems.

Contribute to Growth

Play a leading role inNIHR’s contribution to the national growth agenda for example by:

  • providing the research evidence that leads to better outcomes for the workforce, people who need care and support services, carers and the wider population; and
  • to help the NHS, public sector and social care providers and professionals to make efficient use of resources;
  • engaging with the public health and social care sector, including Local Authorities, care providers and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to support a culture of research and evidence use to deliver societal benefits;
  • creating a research, practice and professional environment that supports the nation’s international competitiveness, including research in underserved regions and communities with major health needs,
  • attracting, developing and retaining a highly skilled multidisciplinary health and social care research workforce, or
  • supporting collaborations with industry across relevant sectors (this might include the life sciences industry, commercial providers of health and/or care services or other relevant industries).

Integrate Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) in Research

  • Continue to integrate PPIE into research, provide leadership, and support capacity development for PPIE.
  • Champion and deliver diverse, inclusive, and innovative PPIE models, positively impacting how NIHR involves people and communities, people who need care and support services, carers and those who have not previously had a voice in research. PPIE should be evident across the full spectrum of the research management process.
  • Model and share best practice with senior leaders across the NIHR and the wider research community.

Eligibility

Applications are open to applied health and social care Investigators who meet the selection criteria, and we are particularly encouraging applications from researchers working in social care and public health as well as social care practitioners, nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals.

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • conduct or support applied health, public health, or social care research;
  • have made a substantial contribution to the NIHR with ongoing contribution planned;
  • have part or all their salary funded as a ‘research cost’ from NIHR and have current, active NIHR funding at the time of application, which must extend beyond 30 June 2023, and;
  • be employed by an organisation based in England.

NIHR Research Professors (RPs) reaching the end of their term are also eligible to apply, providing:     

  • their RP term ends before 1 April 2023,
  • they have current NIHR funding at the time of application which is independent of their NIHR RP award and
  • their current non-RP NIHR funding extends beyond 30 June 2023.

At the point of submission, applicants must have current active NIHR research funding.

NIHR funding which confers eligibility to apply for a NIHR Senior Investigator award includes being named as a researcher on an NIHR Infrastructure award or Projects, Programmes, Centres, and Schools, NIHR and Medical Research Council (MRC) Partnership Programmes and other NIHR contracts where the applicant is a Chief Investigator (CI), Co-Chief Investigator (Co-CI), or Co-Applicant (Co-A).

Applicants in receipt of grants from NIHR joint funding, managed outside NIHR, are also eligible to apply and applicants are required to provide a letter of support from an individual with the relevant authority. The NIHR Clinical Research Network does not fund research and is therefore not considered an eligible source of funding. A list of funding that confers NIHR Investigator status is provided in Annex 1. Individuals applying on the basis of their role or funding from an NIHR Infrastructure award will be cross-checked against the Infrastructure Investigator list submitted in the annual reports and applications. Additional evidence in the form of a letter of support from the relevant infrastructure Director or equivalent is required.                         

Applicants will need to indicate the FTE proportion of their salary that is funded as a ‘research cost’ from NIHR and state the relationship the applicant has to the eligible NIHR grant or Infrastructure.

Senior Investigators whose first-term appointments expire on 31 March 2023 can reapply where they remain eligible. These applications will be considered with those of other applicants. Senior Investigator appointments can be held for a maximum of two terms, equating to a maximum of eight years in total.     

The NIHR does not contact Senior Investigators to notify them that they are coming to the end of their term. To receive a notification of the Senior Investigator competition launch dates please register their details.

Eligibility will be checked by NIHR and DHSC. Individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria will be notified and their applications withdrawn from the competition.

Selection process

NIHR Senior Investigators will be selected by open competition. Applications will be considered by committees whose expertise covers health, public health, and social care research. Three subcommittees will support the process to ensure that applications are reviewed by experts in appropriate areas. Each application will be assessed by five members of the appropriate subcommittee, including two PPIE members. The committee will recommend applicants to the Chief Scientific Adviser, DHSC, to be appointed.

The timetable will be:

  • 29 June 2022: Competition opens
  • 11 July 2022: Webinar workshop for potential applicants
  • 24 August 2022: Deadline for applications
  • December 2022: Committee meeting
  • February 2023: Applicant notification of outcome
  • 1 April 2023: Senior Investigator term begins

The NIHR held two webinar workshops for potential applicants on the 11th July 2022 in support of this call.

Funding

Successful Senior Investigator applicants will receive a discretionary award of £20,000 per annum payable to their employer or linked institution. This award will fund activities that support the applicant’s research. Funding will be awarded for 4 years, on the recommendation of the committee, starting 1 April 2023. There may be on occasion an exception to this, for example where a previous term of three or 5 years has been held.

Examples of award uses may include:

  • travel costs
  • conference costs
  • activities to engage with Local Authority/social care stakeholders and partners
  • personal development and team building
  • books
  • consumables and minor items of equipment (not capital equipment)
  • bridging funds to support research staff appointments whilst awaiting new research income
  • providing additional support (e.g., clerical), including overtime payments.

These activities may be carried out by the Senior Investigator or by other individuals at the Senior Investigator’s discretion.

Research Capability Funding 

New Senior Investigator awards no longer attract Research Capability Funding (RCF) payments.

Selection criteria for the application stage

  1. Contribution to the NIHR
    • Evidence of significant personal contribution to NIHR. This should be beyond what might be reasonably expected as part of their role in receipt of an NIHR award.

  2. Relevance of the research portfolio that translates into improvements in outcomes for patients, people who need care and support services, carers and the public, and improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of the health and social care system.
    • An active research portfolio positively impacting the health and wellbeing of patients, people who need social care or support, carers and the public.
    • High quality internationally leading research appropriate to the applicant’s research field.
    • Evidence of reductions in health and social care inequalities through research.

  3. Patient and public involvement and engagement in research
    • Significant track record of effective PPIE in research including leadership and capacity development for PPIE.
  4. Contribution to Growth
    • Strong track record in NIHR's contribution to growth, which may include supporting collaborations, building a research culture that supports growth, increasing the nation’s competitiveness, building workforce capacity or providing the research evidence that contributes to a healthier population.

  5. Research leadership
    • High impact of the leadership on applied health, public health and social care research.
    • Leadership in the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion and in creating an inclusive research culture.

  6. Track record in training researchers
    • Strong track record in training, supporting and developing researchers at all levels, including evidence of helping to shape training at a regional and national levels.
    • Advancing opportunities for under-represented groups and persons with relevant protected characteristics including age, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

  7. Engagement of health and social care commissioners and/or policy makers in research
    • Evidence of engagement with health and social care service commissioners or those that deliver/manage health and social care services and/or policymakers.

Completing the application

Section 1: Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must be paid part of their salary as a ‘research cost’ from current active NIHR research or infrastructure funding. The applicant must provide information on the source, funding title (e.g. BRC or project title), NIHR funding reference, whether their salary is funded as a research cost, the % FTE commitment and their relationship to the qualifying funding. If the qualifying funding does not have a title, please provide the job title instead. If the qualifying funding does not have a reference number, please provide a place of work or name of NIHR Infrastructure along with a letter of support from the relevant scheme Director or equivalent. This will be required as a mandatory upload.

Section 2: Applicant Details

All information regarding applicant details is auto-populated from the ‘Manage my Details’ section within the applicant’s RMS Portal account. Please ensure these are up to date.

  • Professional Background
    Applicants should select one category from the drop down list.

  • Subcategory
    Dependent on the applicant's professional background further information may be required. For example, if “Allied Health Professional'' is chosen for professional background a further box with a drop down list will appear. Applicants should select the relevant sub-category for example occupational therapist, physiotherapist or radiographer etc.

  • Region
    Applicants must be based in England.

  • Research Fields
    The applicant should choose the two most appropriate categories for ‘Research Fields’. If their research is best defined by just one of the categories in this section, please select the same field in both drop-down boxes.

Section 3: Case for Support 

Provide clear and comprehensive evidence supporting each criterion. All sections must be completed for the committee to be able to make an informed decision on the application. Applicants should include anything relevant to their application as the committee will only take into account the information submitted in the form.

Contribution to the NIHR 

The applicant must provide examples of their contribution to NIHR, concentrating on the past 5 years, including work on NIHR committees, events, training support, providing peer reviews and any formal leadership roles in NIHR. Leadership in the NIHR must be exhibited at national and regional levels. Applicants who hold a defined role within an NIHR award which contributes to their salary are requested to outline where their contribution has exceeded what might be reasonably expected for this role.

The quality and quantity of contribution to the NIHR will be assessed by the committee. Applicants are expected to clearly articulate the contribution they make to the NIHR using the categories in Annex 2 for guidance. It is not appropriate to just list roles. The contribution to the NIHR should exceed the expectations of their paid NIHR job role/description. Applicants are encouraged to include examples of activities that impacted, brought significant changes, and added specific value in their contribution to NIHR.

Relevance of the research portfolio that translates into improvements in outcomes for patients, people who need care and support services, carers and the public, and improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of the health and social care system.

Supporting evidence must be provided for the two most significant examples of impact, focussing on the past 5 years. Impact could include:

  • influencing policy, guidelines, or service improvement,
  • changes in service delivery, including service reconfiguration or service redesign, patient/service user care pathways, or patient/service user safety,
  • improved patient/public/ service user outcomes, social, wellbeing or clinical outcomes
  • reductions in health and social care inequalities through research or
  • economic impact, net health and care benefits, improvements to efficiencies in health and social care systems, boost to industry.

Patient and public involvement and engagement in research 

The NIHR defines public involvement in research as research being carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them. Please refer to “Briefing notes for researchers - public involvement in NHS, health and social care research” for further information. You may wish to look at the UK standards for public involvement in research.

Applicants must provide a minimum of one example of their contribution to PPIE activity in each of the following areas:

  • How they integrate PPIE into their own research.
  • How they support capacity development for PPIE.
  • How they demonstrate leadership in PPIE.

Where centre-level activities are provided, the applicant should describe the role they played in each example. Examples could include but are not limited to:

  • leading the dissemination of good PPIE practice in local institutions and structures and using evidence of PPIE impact nationally,
  • championing the adoption of the UK standards for public involvement within their institutions and across NIHR structures,
  • ensuring that research collaborations are championing equality, diversity and inclusion, offering opportunities for involvement to people who do not traditionally get involved in research or decision making,
  • demonstrating how they have positively impacted research to support and advance equality of opportunities for people with relevant protected characteristics including age, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, and
  • supporting PPIE leads and early career researchers within their institutional research ecosystem and spheres of influence ensuring a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion (this could be through mentoring and/or coaching).

Contribution to Growth 

Applicants must demonstrate their track record in playing a leading role in NIHR's contribution to growth, and specific examples of their contribution must be provided.

Examples of appropriate activity could include, but are not limited to:

  • providing the research evidence that leads to better outcomes for the workforce, people who need care and support services, carers, and the wider population; and
  • to help the NHS, public sector and social care providers and professionals to make efficient use of resources;
  • engaging with the public health and social care sector, including Local Authorities, care providers and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to support a culture of research and evidence use to deliver societal benefits;
  • creating a research, practice and professional environment that supports the nation’s international competitiveness, including research in underserved regions and communities with major health needs;
  • attracting, developing and retaining a highly skilled multidisciplinary health and social care research workforce; or
  • supporting collaborations with industry across relevant sectors (this might include the life sciences industry, commercial providers of health and/or care services or other relevant industries).

Research leadership 

The applicant must provide evidence of their leadership in applied health, public health and social care research and provide details of specific roles. Applicants must include information on their positive contribution to equality, diversity, inclusion within research, and how the applicant has proactively improved research culture.

Track record in training researchers 

An overview of the applicant’s track record in training and developing researchers must be provided. Applicants should provide evidence of their involvement in positively shaping training at a regional and national level. Applicants must provide the number of research students they have had direct supervisory responsibility for and how they have advanced opportunities for under-represented groups and persons with relevant protected characteristics including age, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Engagement of healthcare planners and/or policy makers in research 

The applicant must provide evidence of how they have engaged with health and social care planners and/or policy makers such as Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), Clinical Commissioning Groups, Local Authorities, Local Government Associations, Health Education England, NHS England, NHS Improvement, NICE, UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England), Social Work England, Skills for Care, Integrated Care Systems, and Integrated Care Boards or DHSC.

Section 4. Academic and Professional Qualifications  

The academic and professional qualifications, present and previous employment, and grant income sections will be pulled through from the ‘Manage my Details’ section in the applicant’s RMS Portal account. Please note that these fields are mandatory and if left blank will result in the application being withdrawn from the process.

The applicant will need to provide details of prizes, awards, honours they hold.

A list of research and NIHR Infrastructure grants held and grant income in the last 5 years should be included. This should include:

  • grants that have been active at any point in the last 5 years; Grant income can start prior to or end after this 5-year period.
  • grants for which applicants are or were a CI, Co-CI, or Co-A.

For the purposes of this competition, a CI is an individual who is responsible for the conduct of the whole research project. It is mandatory to list at least one active grant as a CI, Co-CI Co-A. Should there be none, please state “No active grants within the last 5 years” in the application form. Active NIHR funding is an essential eligibility criterion. RCF is not considered active NIHR funding.  

Section 5. Publications

While information relating to publications contributes to the assessment of research excellence, it is only one of several factors considered. Journal Impact Factors will not be used as a measure for quality or impact of the publication.

Publication List

Applicants are required to enter their top 10 publications from the past ten years ranked from one being their most significant publication through to 10. These publications are those which the applicant considers to be their most influential. Publications outside the date range should not be included. The applicant must be a named author on the publication. Applicants can include publications in which they were part of a consortium. Please list publications in an appropriate and consistent format such as MLA Style (e.g. Authors, Title, Journal, Date, DOI link).

Citation Examples:

  • Halpin S, O'Connor R, Sivan M. Long COVID and chronic COVID syndromes. J Med Virol. 2021 Mar;93(3):1242-1243. doi: 10.1002/jmv.26587.
  • Henderson L, Bain H, Allan E, Kennedy C. Integrated health and social care in the community: A critical integrative review of the experiences and well-being needs of service users and their families. Health Soc Care Community. 2020 Oct 15. doi: 10.1111/hsc.13179.

The top publications can be selected and will be pulled through from the ‘Manage my Details’ section in the applicant’s RMS Portal account or entered directly. Please note that publications in press are not admissible. Cochrane Database Review papers are accepted, as are conference proceedings that have been published in regular volumes of peer reviewed journals, books, book chapters, government reports, white papers, and policy guidelines. If no exact date of publication is available, please enter ‘01’ for date and month. Details of the applicant’s role in the research leading to the publication is required.

Applicants are required to highlight three publications from the last 10 years that they consider their most significant, justify why these publications have the greatest impact and are of particular importance, and outline their degree of contribution.

The applicant will need to provide their ORCID ID. The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their ORCID ID is up to date, with all their publications linked.

DHSC and NIHR are committed to supporting researchers in diverse fields and with diverse career paths, including career breaks, and recognises there are circumstances which may impact on the applicant’s research outputs produced over their academic careers. This may include periods of maternity leave, parental leave, caring responsibilities, sick leave, or specific impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. If there are any factors that may have impacted the applicant’s publication record and/or career trajectory, please outline the reasons for this to ensure that the application is considered appropriately. Please be assured that information provided will be treated confidentially and in line with General Data and Protection Regulations.

Section 6. Professional Conduct Self Declaration

  • It is expected that an award holder will abide by the rules, regulations, and codes of conduct of their professional regulatory body(ies) where applicable and with relevant guidance published by the Authority on the conduct of research.
  • The applicant is required to complete a declaration about whether they have a determinant or conditions imposed against them relating to their fitness to practice following an investigation by their employer, professional body, or regulator at the time of their application.

Section 7. Declaration 

The applicant must complete the ‘Declaration’ section of the application detailing the conflict of interest declaration.

The applicant will need to assign a representative of the employing institution with financial authority to the application. On assigning a representative, an email will be sent by the system requesting they approve the application. The representative is also required to tick the access-controlled box within the application form before the application is submitted. If an applicant is successful, the discretionary research award will be made to the corresponding institution. In ticking the access-controlled box, the representative of the employing institution with financial authority confirms that the named institution is prepared to administer the award if made. The applicant will not be able to submit the application unless all declarations are ticked, including that of the financial representative.

Submitting the application

The application process is managed through the NIHR. Applications should be submitted via the Research Management System (RMS) and applications received through other means will not be accepted. Please note the web browser that is the most compatible with the RMS is Google Chrome. Applicants should be aware that any fields left blank will render that application ineligible and it will be withdrawn form the process. 

To apply, individuals must create an account in the RMS. Once registered, details will need to be validated by NIHR. The applicant will receive a confirmation email and temporary password. If an email from manager@ccfrms.org.uk is not received, please check it has not been sent to the spam folder.

To generate a new NIHR Senior Investigator application, the applicant should, once registered, use the left hand side toolbar and select ‘My Applications’ and go to ‘New Application’, selecting the Senior Investigator Competition from the open funding rounds section. 

Before starting the Senior Investigator application, it is advised to first complete the Basic Information and CV details in the ‘Manage My Details’ section. Information from this section will be pulled through to the application form, so it is important to complete this section first to avoid duplication. Please complete the ‘Publications’ or ‘Research Grants’ sections in ‘Manage My Details’ as these will pull through into the application form in the Publications or grant income section.

Please start the application as early as possible and ensure all fields have been completed and all the necessary information as requested has been entered. To navigate the application, use the menu on the left-hand side of the screen and the ‘Previous’ and ‘Next’ buttons. It is advisable to use the mouse to go through the subsections of the form as hitting TAB will not lead to the next field. Please note that if the applicant hits ENTER the system will close down the page they are currently working on and return to the introductory page. Please read the online help prompts marked (?) for additional guidance. 

The application will need to be approved by a representative of the employing institution with financial authority. Please leave sufficient time for the representative to approve and complete the requirements within the ‘Declaration’ section of the completed application.

Applications will need to be validated prior to submitting. In the ‘Validation Summary’ section, there are two types of validations, mandatory and recommended validations. Please complete the application form, so that there are no outstanding mandatory validation issues as it is not possible to submit the form until these are resolved. Recommended validations are suggestions from the RMS system; these will not affect the ability to submit an application. We recommend performing ongoing validation checks to ensure the forms are completed and that no fields have been missed. 

Please note that the system will not allow submissions after the deadline. Please ensure a confirmation email has been received from the RMS and contact NIHR if otherwise. Please note the reference number within the email in the form NIHR200001. It is necessary to use this number in any correspondence with NIHR.

Applicants are reminded that during busy periods, such as close to a competition deadline, it could take slightly longer to submit the application. It is likely that during such periods, our helpline will be receiving a very high volume of calls. We therefore advise that applicants do not leave their submission until the last 24 hours.

Any enquiries should be sent to: faculty@nihr.ac.uk or phone 0208 843 8003.

Submission deadline

The closing date for electronic submission of applications is 24 August 2022 at 13:00

Please note that the NIHR will not accept late submissions and the system will not allow submissions after the deadline. 

Please note:

  • The RMS will automatically prevent the submission of applications after the competition has closed.
  • It is the applicant’s responsibility to allow sufficient time to submit an application.
  • Representatives of the employing institution with financial authority will need to approve the application and tick the access-controlled box within the ‘Declaration section’ of the application form.
  • Applicants should contact the faculty team immediately if they think there is a system problem, whilst attempting to continue with their submission.
  • Outcome notification: February 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Requirements if awarded

The NIHR collaborates with those with Senior Investigator status as part of the Senior Investigator role which entails being an ambassador and advocate for NIHR. Therefore, by applying for Senior Investigator status we would expect to publish your details on the Senior Investigator Directory if awarded, including contact email address, research expertise and host organisation.

Annex 1

Research funding that confers eligibility to apply to become an NIHR Senior Investigator

Research funds from NIHR confer NIHR Investigator status on researchers who are employed by the NHS, Universities or charities in England. NIHR Investigator status confers eligibility to apply to become a Senior Investigator. Please check with NIHR if there is any uncertainty as to whether an applicant is eligible. Relevant sources of research funds include the following:

  • Biomedical Research Centres
  • Clinical Research Facilities
  • Clinical Trials Units
  • Applied Research Collaborations
  • Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme
  • Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres
  • Health Innovation Challenge Fund
  • Health Protection Research Unit
  • Health and Social Care Delivery Research (includes Service Delivery and Organisation and Health Service Research Programmes)
  • Health Technology Assessment Programme
  • Invention for Innovation Programme (includes Challenge Awards and Product Development Awards)
  • Joint Global Health Trials
  • Medtech and In Vitro Diagnostic Co-operatives
  • MRC - NIHR Phenome Centre
  • NIHR BioResource
  • NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Units
  • NIHR Centre for Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology
  • NIHR Child Prosthetics Research Collaboration
  • NIHR Global Health Research Groups
  • NIHR Global Health Research Units
  • NIHR Innovation Observatory
  • NIHR Patient Safety Translational Research Centres
  • NIHR Policy Research Programme
  • NIHR Policy Research Programme Research Units
  • NIHR Public Health Research Programme
  • NIHR Research Design Service
  • NIHR School for Primary Care Research
  • NIHR School for Public Health Research
  • NIHR School for Social Care Research
  • Patient Research Cohorts Initiative
  • Patient Safety Translational Research Collaboration
  • Patient Safety Research Collaboration
  • Programme Development Grants
  • Programme Grants for Applied Research
  • Research for Patient Benefit
  • Research for Social Care
  • Translational Research Collaborations
  • UK Public Health Rapid Support Team
  • Wellcome Trust – NIHR Joint Funding
  • Research Design Service

Applicable funding schemes not directly managed by the NIHR

  • Better Methods, Better Research (NIHR-MRC)

Annex 2

Ways in which researchers can contribute to NIHR

Roles  Notes
Directors & Leads (the contribution to the NIHR should exceed the expectations of their paid NIHR job role/description)  -
Programme Director  -
Directors of NIHR Infrastructure/Units/Research Design Service/Schools/Other NIHR Contracts (e.g. Technology Assessment Review teams, Directors of Evidence Review Centres for Programmes/INVOLVE/Global Health Research Units/Groups)  -
Deputy Directors/Associate Directors of NIHR Infrastructure/ Units/Research Design Services/Schools/Other NIHR Contracts (e.g. Technology Assessment Review teams, Directors of Evidence Review Centres for Programmes/ INVOLVE/NIHR Global Health Research Units /Groups)  -
Theme Leads of NIHR Infrastructure and Units/CRN  -
Infrastructure or GHR Academic Career Development Lead  -
ntegrated Academic Career Development Lead - Training Leads  -
Infrastructure PPIE Lead  -
Committees & Boards  -
Member of NIHR Strategy Board  -
Academic Lead/Board Member for the NIHR Schools  -
Advisory Board Member of NIHR Infrastructure/Units/Research Design Service (RDS)  -
Committee Chair or Deputy Chair (All Programmes/NIHR Prioritisation Committee/Funding Boards/Personal Awards)  -
Committee Member Opportunities to join a NIHR committee can be found on the Join us webpage.
Advisory Board member for NIHR strategy development  -
Peer reviewer  -
Working Groups  -
Chair of NIHR or DHSC Working Group/Policy Group/Steering Committee/Advisory Group Excluding prioritisation and funding committees
Member of NIHR or DHSC Working Group/Policy Group/Steering Committee/Advisory Group Excluding prioritisation and funding committees
INVOLVE Advisory Group Members and Associates  -
Clinical Research Network (CRN) Related Roles  -
Member of a CRN Specialty Group  -
CRN National Speciality Lead  -
CRN Regional Speciality Lead  -
CRN Division Lead  -
CRN Stratified Medicine Champions  -
Recruiting Participants to CRN Studies  -
Additional Training-Related Roles  -
Chair or Deputy Chair of Infrastructure Training Leads Forum  -
NIHR Training Advocate  -
NIHR Trainees - Reviewer Development of scheme and honorary member of advisory committee
Supervisor of NIHR Funded Trainees  -
Mentor for the NIHR Academy Mentoring Scheme  -
Contributor to NIHR Infrastructure Training Camp  -
NIHR Communication/Dissemination  -
NIHR Spokesperson  -
Expert Commentator/Rater NIHR Dissemination Centre  -
NIHR Ambassador  -
Hosting/Chairing/delivering NIHR events  -
Other, please specify  -
Additional Roles  -
Editor of NIHR Journals Library Publications  -
Lead or Involvement in James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships  -
RDS Advisor  -
Other, please specify:  -