The National Institute for Health Research: making an impact in imaging research

Abstract

Since the inception of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in 2006, the landscape for the delivery of clinical research within the NHS has been transformed. Clinical Radiology has benefitted from funding opportunities for primary imaging research as well as improvements to the supporting research infrastructure to provide imaging for many clinical trials. However, in an increasingly challenging NHS environment, the NIHR and Clinical Radiology have to evolve an effective working partnership to ensure imaging research is sustainable and will make an impact. A number of initiatives have arisen from discussions between the NIHR, the Royal College of Radiologists and stakeholders that will be discussed in this article. It is hoped that these initiatives will be embraced by the imaging community and create a more dynamic sustainable imaging workforce, driving and supporting research and innovation towards future sustainability. Summary of initiatives:  Developing imaging workforce capacity  Improving collaboration between research groups and disciplines  Increasing the number of academic leaders from clinical and allied health disciplines  Creating new and more flexible NIHR fellowships  Supporting new ways for research training e.g. via RCR/NIHR CRN trainee research networks  Funding research sessions for portfolio activity  Incentivising research activity e.g. via RCR/NIHR outstanding researchers' awards for clinical trainees and radiologists  Developing national industry partnerships.

Towards nationally curated data archives for clinical radiology image analysis at scale: Learnings from national data collection in response to a pandemic

“…The commercial value can itself take a range of forms, including monetary, intellectual property (IP) ownership, and equity and royalties from any products developed, all of which can be achieved via payment or in the form of beneficial access terms for the NHS. 50 It is important to create the right frameworks to identify and realise the benefits for patients and the NHS where data underpins innovation, with an increasing focus on establishing a new 'social contract' to achieve this. 51 Due to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCCID has established a contractual arrangement with approved data users whereby data is provided to the user free of charge, but any related technologies developed as a result of this must be provided at zero-licence fee cost to the NHS for the duration of the Data Access Agreement signed by the data user.…”

Professional development and research are being neglected: a commentary on the 2019 RCR radiologists' supporting professional activities (SPA) survey

“…6,7 Without the time to engage with and evaluate new diagnostic and treatment strategies, the NHS will fall behind other service providers in evidence-based healthcare, particularly in the most technologically driven specialties, such as clinical radiology. 8 The current inadequate level of SPA time has directly contributed to a distinct lack of research involvement and leadership, as well as an inconsistent approach to quality improvement and education, at a time when advances in imaging methodology and delivery are becoming even more critical to healthcare improvements. Although there will naturally be less research capacity in the most clinically under-resourced specialties, we are particularly concerned that over half the respondents were not involved in research in any capacity over the last year, and only 10% of non-academics reported spending more than an hour each week on research.…”

“…The work of the NIHR Imaging project and NIHR Clinical Research Network imaging steering group, led by Professor Steve Smye, is a start but still a "drop in the ocean". 8 Only through high-level strategic support from all funding bodies and actively looking to promote imaging-led activities, either through infrastructure support, consultant time or scanner time, will this be tackled in the short term. Investment now will help to identify and develop high-impact research projects that will reap future rewards.…”