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The National Institute for Health Research, now the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), was established in 2006 essentially to promote world-class research within the National Health Service (NHS). Centred on England, the NIHR works closely with the devolved nations and works in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, and patients and the public and is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. 1 The NIHR funds primary research and also invests in the people and infrastructure needed to deliver research.

The clinical research network (CRN) is the part of the NIHR that is soon to be rebadged as the NIHR Research Delivery Network. It supports the delivery of health and social care research, contributing to the costs of staff, training, facilities, and support services. There are currently 15 local CRNs (LCRNs) across England. The CRN …