02/12/21
2 min read
The Nuffield Foundation, in partnership with Versus Arthritis, is calling for applications for research projects to improve the social and economic well-being of people living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in the UK.
Musculoskeletal conditions – including arthritis and back pain – affect over 20 million people in the UK and are the single biggest cause of pain and disability. Despite almost one in three (32%) people living with musculoskeletal conditions, there is a lack of evidence on the impact of these conditions on people’s well-being and life chances and how to improve policy and practice interventions.
Up to £4 million of funding is available for new research which can improve the lives of people living with musculoskeletal conditions, including their participation in, and support from, work, education, and family life, and their experience of ageing. The programme is funded in partnership with Versus Arthritis, which is the UK’s largest charity dedicated to supporting people with arthritis.
We are looking for applicants to develop interdisciplinary proposals that can help identify, develop and enhance non-clinical policy and practice interventions. These interventions might benefit people at greater risk of developing musculoskeletal conditions or aim to reduce the negative consequences and improve the quality of life for those who have them. We are keen to fund evaluations of interventions outside of the healthcare system. We welcome applicants from wider fields, as well as those with existing musculoskeletal expertise.
Applicants should clearly demonstrate how people living with, supporting, and treating, musculoskeletal conditions will be meaningfully involved throughout the duration of the project.
Funding for the call comes from the Foundation’s Oliver Bird Fund, bequeathed by Captain Oliver Bird, of Bird’s Custard Fame, in 1948. In 2018 we launched the first call for research into MSK conditions and we awarded funding to six projects which are currently underway.
Application process
Applicants must be based in a UK institution and submit an outline application by 14 March 2022. Short-listed applicants will be invited to submit a full application by July 2022. We expect most successful applications to be in the range of £50k-£300k for a duration of up to three years, but we will also consider applications for larger or smaller grants.
Tim Gardam, Chief Executive at the Nuffield Foundation said:
“The Nuffield Foundation is committed to improving people’s lives through better understanding of the issues affecting their life chances. We welcome interdisciplinary research proposals that aim to influence policy and practice to make a real difference to the lives of the substantial number of people living with musculoskeletal conditions in the UK.”
Dr Neha Issar-Brown, Director of Research at Versus Arthritis, said:
“Over 20 million people in the UK live with a musculoskeletal condition such as arthritis. Research funded through this call will generate new knowledge to support improvements in well-being for people with these conditions. Our ongoing partnership with the Nuffield Foundation is based on a shared interest to make sure we support and fund research advances that make a difference to people with arthritis, and is an excellent example of how working together can allow us to achieve more than we could do on our own.”
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