Public Health

Public health research is funded by each of the programmes managed by NETSCC. Please see each programme site for public health research funding opportunities: 

The NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme.

The HTA programme delivers research information about the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests for those who plan, provide or receive care in the NHS. The report from every project is published in the peer-reviewed journal series Health Technology Assessment. Since its inception in 1993 the HTA programme has invested over £280m in more than 800 research projects. This is set to increase significantly with available funding and has a predicted annual budget of £88m by 2011/12.
Go to the HTA programme web site

The Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme

The EME programme is aimed at supporting ‘science driven’ studies with an expectation of substantial health gain. Proposed research must evaluate the clinical efficacy of an intervention, where proof of concept in humans has already been achieved, and may add significantly to our understanding of biological or behavioural mechanisms and processes. The EME programme is funded by the Medical Research Council and managed by NETSCC. It was launched in April 2008 and has a predicted annual budget of £15m by 2011/12.
Go to the EME programme web site

The EME and HTA programmes have worked together to produce a document to help clarify some of the differences between the two programmes. The aim of the document is to make it easier for you to decide which research programme it would be most appropriate for you to submit a proposal to. Please click the link below to view the document. 

Characteristics of the EME and HTA programmes (pdf format, 24 Kb). 

NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) programme

The PHR programme evaluates public health interventions, providing new knowledge on the benefits, costs, acceptability and wider impacts of non- NHS interventions intended to improve the health of the public and reduce inequalities in health. The PHR programme was launched in Autumn 2008 and has a predicted annual budget of £10m by 2011/12.
Go to the NIHR PHR programme web site

NIHR Health Services Research (HSR) programme.

The HSR programme provides funding for a broad range of health services research with the aim of improving service quality and patient safety. Researchers will be invited to submit both primary research and evidence syntheses proposals that would not currently be funded by existing NIHR, DH and MRC programmes, either due to remit or cost. Launched in October 2008, the HSR programme will either fund multiple small studies or a single large study of national or international importance and has a predicted annual budget of £5m by 2011/12.
Go to the NIHR HSR programme web site

The NIHR Service Delivery and Organisation programme

The SDO programme joined NETSCC in April 2009 having been managed from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine since 1999. It aims to improve health outcomes for people by funding research evidence that improves practice in relation to the organisation and delivery of healthcare and has a predicted annual budget of £11m by 2011/12.
Go to the NIHR SDO programme web site

NETSCC managed programme chart (pdf format, 94 Kb).