The capacity of health services research to support integrated care in England

This report aims to examine the capacity for research to support integrated care developments. The focus is on health service research agencies in English universities. It is designed to promote an understanding of alternative approaches as national research programmes offer new opportunities for larger and more rigorous studies.

The approach draws on three analyses of different data from relevant programmes of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) over a 30 month period. The data are derived from commissioning briefs, monitoring reports and annual reviews. Relevant international comparisons indicate possible responses to deficits.

The review points to a process of normalisation, through which integrated care has become an important standard dimension of health services research in England. While the commissioning of studies related to integrated care is shown to demonstrate a sustained and enhanced profile, the capacity of higher education providers appears to be changing. The growing emphasis on health services research corresponds with increased research leadership from clinical and public health academics, which raises questions regarding future multi‐disciplinary and social sciences contributions and projects on lateral forms of integrated care.

The findings are only derived from a single source from the NIHR portfolio, and a period in which there were significant and structural changes in the NHS and administration of relevant NIHR programmes.

The review is the first of its kind in employing aggregate NIHR programme data. It offers an original typology of higher education research agencies and novel insights into comparable developments elsewhere.