The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. They commission policy research to support the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Ministers, and Senior Officials in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and its Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs), through the Policy Research Programme (PRP).
Between 2019 and 2023, the NIHR funded 15 Policy Research Units (PRUs) covering a range of topics which included Quality, Safety and Outcomes of Health and Social Care. This iteration (2019-2023) of the NIHR QSO PRU was a collaboration between the Universities of Kent and Oxford, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Picker and Hull-York Medical School. More information on this iteration, including outputs, can be found here.
The NIHR has awarded a further £100 million pounds over five years to 20 PRUs across England; In January 2024, these 20 PRUs began work and will provide evidence to respond to new and emerging policy needs. The Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) continues to lead the NIHR QSO PRU this time in collaboration with the universities of Oxford, Leeds, Bradford, and Picker
Professor Julien (Jules) Forder at PSSRU directed the initial NIHR QSO PRU and in January 2024 began directing the current NIHR QSO PRU. Professor Ray Fitzpatrick was the Deputy Director for both iterations of the NIHR QSO PRUs. We are all deeply saddened that Jules passed away on the 28th July 2024 and Ray passed in April 2024. Please see our tributes to them.
During their careers, both Jules and Ray were determined to produce high quality research evidence to inform health and social care policy decisions. Their work will continue to inform the NIHR QSO PRU. Our new Director, Karen Jones, and Deputy Director, Michele Peters, will lead the team to build on the previous work. We will continue to consider quality being affected in multiple ways in the system, including service design, implementation and delivery; and according to the people who are supported or contribute