£16.3m NIHR funding secured by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, University of Oxford and Aston University to transform health and social care
An ambitious collaboration takes shape
In a move set to ripple across the Thames Valley and the West Midlands, a powerhouse partnership between Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Oxford, and Aston University has clinched £16.3 million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The aim? To supercharge the region’s health infrastructure, drive prevention, and spark practical innovations in health and social care.
The new NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Thames Valley will build on a broad alliance—over 40 partners strong, including NHS trusts, local authorities, businesses, and voluntary organisations. With Aston University at its core, the ARC is determined to bridge research and real-world impact, ensuring that breakthroughs don’t just stay in the lab, but make a difference on the ground.
Aston University at the heart of real-world change
Aston University’s Professor Shivani Sharma, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), will co-lead the ARC alongside Professor Kam Bhui of Oxford. For Aston, this isn’t just an academic partnership—it’s a chance to reshape how research connects to people’s everyday lives across the West Midlands and beyond.
Professor Sharma explains: “Research should reflect the reality on the ground. We have the opportunity in our ARC to rethink inclusion, strengthening the link between research and its impact in everyday lives. It’s a privilege to work with such a diverse network and deliver on the ARC’s ambitions. We believe the impact will be lasting—and fundamental to helping regions thrive”.
From ideas to action: listening, learning, delivering
ARC Thames Valley’s mission is simple: listen to communities, set priorities together, and find solutions that work. By bringing together researchers, NHS staff, patients, and the public, the collaboration aims to tackle pressing health inequalities, implement research findings quickly, and make sure policy and practice keep pace with what people actually need.
Professor Bhui echoes the sense of ambition: “We’re here to make sure research knowledge improves commissioning, policy, and practice—not just in universities, but in communities, charities, and health and social care partners”.
Wider impact: building a healthier, fairer future
The £16.3 million grant is part of a wider £157 million NIHR investment, supporting ten ARCs across the country. These collaborations will focus on everything from evaluating new treatments to rolling out effective models of care and addressing inequality head-on—especially in under-represented regions like the West Midlands.
Aston University’s leadership ensures that the West Midlands will be front and centre as this new era of health research unfolds, with an emphasis on inclusion, practical solutions, and delivering benefits where they’re needed most.
A step forward for the NHS—and for everyone
Dr Karl Marlowe, Chief Medical Officer at Oxford Health and chair of ARC Oxford & Thames Valley, sees the funding as a chance to accelerate the adoption of innovative care models and address inequalities across the partnership’s network. NIHR leaders and government ministers agree: this investment is about making research count, not just for headlines, but for patients and communities everywhere.
As Professor Marian Knight of NIHR puts it, “The ARCs play a vital role—generating evidence, boosting public health, and increasing NHS productivity”. And as Zubir Ahmed MP, UK Health Innovation Minister adds: “every pound invested in this research is an investment in hope, for faster diagnoses, more effective treatments, and a health system that works for everyone”.
With Aston University playing a leading role, Birmingham and the Midlands are set to shape the future of health and social care—right where it matters most.
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