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Table 1 Cross-sector collaborations designated by the Department of Health in England, 2008-2014

From: Implementation of collaborative governance in cross-sector innovation and education networks: evidence from the National Health Service in England

 

Designation

Partnership composition

Description of expected activity*

Provision of new resources*

NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs)

2007 for five years;

NHS provider trusts and higher education institutions

“to conduct translational research to transform scientific breakthroughs into life-saving treatments for patients” [29]

5 designated NIHR Comprehensive BRCs and 7 designated NIHR Specialist BRCs received £450 m of government funding for 2007–2012 [28];

2012 for five years

11 designated NIHR BRCs received £677 m of government funding for 2012–2017, ranging between £2 m and £23 m per NIHR BRC per year [29]

NIHR Biomedical Research Units (BRUs)

2008 for four years;

NHS provider trusts and higher education institutions

“to undertake translational research in priority areas of high disease burden and clinical need” [30]

15 designated NIHR BRUs received £55 m of government funding for 2008–2012, up to £1 m per NIHR BRU per year [31];

2012 for five years

20 designated NIHR BRUs received £126 m of government funding for 2012–2017, ranging between £1 m and £2 m per NIHR BRU per year [30]

NIHR Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs)

2008 for five years;

NHS providers and commissioners, higher education institutions, and other relevant local organisations

“to conduct applied health research across the NHS, and translate research findings into improved outcomes for patients” [32]

9 designated NIHR CLAHRCs received £50 m of government funding for 2008–2013, ranging between £1 m and £2 m per NIHR CLAHRC per year [28];

2014 for five years

13 designated NIHR CLAHRCs received £124 m of government funding for 2014–2018, approximately £2 m per NIHR CLAHRC per year [32]

Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs)

2009 for five years;

NHS providers and higher education institutions

“to increase strategic alignment of NHS providers and their university partner, specifically in world-class research, health education and patient care, in order to improve health and healthcare delivery, including through increased translation of discoveries from basic science into benefits for patients” [33]

5 designated AHSCs in 2009 and 6 designated AHSCs in 2014 benefited from the prestige of being designated by an international panel of experts, but were not meant to receive any new government funding [33]

2014 for five years

Health Innovation and Education Clusters (HIECs)

2010

NHS providers and commissioners, higher education institutions, local government, charities, industry

“to enable high quality patient care and services by quickly bringing the benefits of research and innovation directly to patients, and by strengthening the co-ordination of education and training so that it has the breadth and depth to support excellence” [34]

17 designated HIECs received £11 m of government funding in 2010 and £10 million in 2011, but were meant to become self-sustaining in the longer-term [35]

Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs)

2013 for five years

NHS providers and commissioners, higher education institutions, local government, charities, industry

“to align education, clinical research, informatics, innovation, training and education and healthcare delivery… to improve patient and population health outcomes by translating research into practice, and developing and implementing integrated health care services” [36]

15 designated AHSNs received £70 m of government funding in 2013, ranging between £2 m and £7 m per AHSN per year, and expected to receive further funding for up to five years, but were meant to become self-sustaining in the longer-term [37]

  1. *Characteristics of mandates according to Montjoy RS and O’Toole LJ [38].