11.07.19
Councils featured in Government’s £135m health research fund
Local authorities are set to play a key role in the newly announced £135m government investment into health research, which looks to bring together partnerships to better tackle a range of problems.
Health minister Nicola Blackwood announced the partnership between local authorities, some of the country’s leading universities, leading innovators and healthcare services in order to help tackle some of the biggest challenges on the NHS in the next five years.
These include improving the lives of millions of people living with a range of conditions, including dementia, mental ill health and obesity.
Fifteen partnerships across England, comprising of NHS organisations, social care services, leading academics, innovators and local authorities, have been awarded funding through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
This funding is to be used for ground-breaking new projects that will address the increasing demands on NHS services and grant patients greater independence and choice in how they manage their healthcare.
Ms Blackwood said: “As the population grows and demand on the NHS increases, it is paramount we develop the next generation of technologies and improve the way we work to ensure they continue to offer world-leading care.
“The UK has a proud history of cutting-edge health research and by supporting the great minds in health and social care, this funding has the potential to unlock solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing healthcare and revolutionise the way patients access treatments in the future.”