NIHR has launched a new themed funding call focused on shaping and supporting the future health, public health and social care workforce, aligned with the Department of Health and Social Care’s Area of Research Interest 3.
The call aims to fund high‑quality research that develops, evaluates and implements workforce interventions to help build a well‑structured, skilled and sustainable workforce able to meet the needs of an ageing UK population. This theme builds on major recent NIHR investments in workforce research.
Priority areas include:
- Building a sustainable workforce – understanding and addressing recruitment, retention and wellbeing challenges.
- Developing new ways of working – exploring skills‑mix, task‑shifting and service integration to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Growth through innovation and technology – evaluating tech‑enabled workforce solutions such as AI‑assisted diagnostics and remote care.
Research should also align with wider health mission priorities such as analogue‑to‑digital transformation, shifting care into the community, and strengthening prevention. All proposals must consider engagement, impact, knowledge mobilisation, health inequalities, economic growth and accelerating innovation adoption.
Current funding opportunities include the NIHR Work and Health Research Awards and the Work and Health highlight notice.
To find out more, click here.