Answered By: Shazia Arif Last Updated: 06 Mar, 2026 Views: 10
National Institute of Heath and Research (NIHR) Evidence
Every year, thousands of research articles are published in specialist academic journals. These contain vital information about the latest health and care research findings. Open Access policies mean that more and more people can now access those scientific research articles for free. But they’re often lengthy and full of technical language making them difficult to understand.
NIHR Evidence aims to bridge the findings of the research we fund and support more accessible and understandable. This will help ensure important research findings can be used by everyone – whether they’re a member of the public, a health or care professional, commissioner or policy maker.
They select NIHR-funded research studies that are most likely to be of interest to the public and professionals and inform changes to policy or practice. They write up the findings in plain English and highlight the difference they could make.
The summaries come in two main types:
- Alerts – summaries of single NIHR research studies
- Collections – summaries of several NIHR research studies within a specific theme or health and care topic
The summaries are reliable. They are based on research papers that have already been peer-reviewed by medical and scientific experts. They are up to date, containing the latest research information. Every stage of the process is carried out in collaboration with members of the public and professionals to ensure the summaries are as useful and usable as possible.
NIHR's work also involves investigating the best ways to write, present and promote research summaries for different audiences. They keep up with the latest evidence as well as carrying out our own analyses. This has helped them to understand where people normally find information about health and care research, what they need from it and how we can reach them. They aim to practise what we preach by applying these findings to our own website, and improving as we learn more.
How are they supported?
NIHR Evidence is part of the NIHR. They are funded directly by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and are one of the UK’s largest funders of health and care research.
The NIHR’s mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Effective dissemination of NIHR research evidence is a key part of that mission.
They are supported by and collaborate closely with the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland to share learning and help promote their research.
How can I find out more about NIHR research?
The NIHR makes information about the research they do available to everyone. You can use this information to learn about a condition or disease, or to help family and friends to understand a new diagnosis.
You can find plain English summaries of some NIHR studies on the NIHR Evidence site.
You can also search for research results in the NIHR Journals Library. Here you will be able to access summaries of the research in addition to the full research articles.
The NIHR Journals Library comprises a suite of six open access peer-reviewed journals reporting results from a range of health research areas
Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation
Health and Social Care Delivery Research
Programme Grants for Applied Research
Browse the evidence summaries here:
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