About us

About the NIHR ARC OXTV

Who we are and what we do:

We are the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford and Thames Valley Applied Research Collaboration (OTV ARC).

The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

The ARCs are a collaboration of health and social care focused organisations (including universities, local NHS trusts, councils and charities) working together in the Oxford and Thames Valley region. We are hosted by Oxford Health NHS foundation Trust and led from the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.

We carry out “applied” health and social care research – research intended to solve practical problems – as opposed to more curiosity driven “basic research”.

By sharing our resources and expertise and working closely with our partners and the people of the region, we research solutions to the health and social care priority problems of local people, NHS and social care services, as well as broader national priorities.

Where our research shows a benefit for patients and the public, we work with our NHS and social care partners to put these findings into action much faster than is typical for new research findings.

We strive to increase the region’s ability to do this kind of work. We do this through training and developing new systems of working together and sharing knowledge, creating a legacy of applied research ability.

Find out more about the research we do on the 'Our work' page.

Find out more about the ARCs, our mission, and the NIHR by clicking here.