NHS R&D funding was previously allocated to some 253 individual NHS Organisations on a historic basis. These historic allocations did not generally reflect the current level, quality and relevance of the research activity. The new health strategy Best Research for Best Health, published by the Department of Health in January 2006 set out a 5-year Research and Development Strategy for the NHS in England. A key component of the strategy included setting up a phased implementation of new funding programmes over 3 years starting from April 2006.
To assist Trusts during this period the Department of Health is allocating Transitional R&D Funding to all previous recipients of NHS R&D Support Funding ("Budget 1") at reducing levels over this period to enable the NHS to plan for the effects of transition.
At the same time we are awarding and allocating an increasing amount of NHS research funding through the new National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) research programmes. It is therefore, likely that funding levels for individual NHS organisations will change over the transition period.
Further information on Transitional R&D Funding can be found in:
Guidance on the distinction between research costs, NHS support costs and treatments costs