Working with the NIHR Industry Hub – Briefing for NHS R&D and PI Sites

Date: 26 September 2025

The R&D Forum have been requested to share this update from Dr. Maria Koufali, Life Sciences Industry Director at the NIHR Coordinating Centre

The UK has set an ambitious path for commercial clinical trials. By March 2026, we have a national target to reduce site set-up times to under 150 days, alongside an ambition to double commercial participant recruitment. To deliver this, NIHR is introducing the Industry Hub: a nationally coordinated, four-nations model to support sponsor-prioritised trials. Built on the proven Vaccine Innovation Pathway, the Hub combines central oversight with local delivery, helping sites mobilise more quickly and recruit more effectively.

Background: How the Model Works

• NIHR Key Account Managers (KAMs) – hold the strategic relationships with industry sponsors, nominate studies for acceleration, and provide portfolio oversight.
• Industry Hub – provides operational delivery support, working with NHS sites across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to accelerate contracting, site mobilisation, and recruitment.

Together, this “two-layer model” ensures sponsors experience asingle, joined-up NIHR offer, while NHS sites receive targeted support to deliver.

 Selected Studies

We have already identified just over 100 studies from NIHR Key Account industry sponsors that will be supported through the Industry Hub to help achieve the 150-day set-up target and to build momentum towards our recruitment ambition.

What This Means for Lead & PI Sites

For the selected studies, sponsors have already nominated Lead and PI sites. If you are among them, you will now be supported by the Industry Hub team, working alongside your local R&D office, to:

• Accelerate mobilisation – feasibility, contracting, and readiness.
• Maximise recruitment – through intelligence, tools, and national support.
• Resolve barriers – with rapid escalation to national leadership where required.

Why Your Engagement Matters

• Visible delivery at Lead and PI sites is critical to meeting the national 150-day target.
• Collaboration with the Hub ensures accelerated timelines are achieved consistently and sustainably.
• Together, we demonstrate that the NHS can deliver as a world-leading, coordinated research system, strengthening the UK’s position as a preferred global partner.

Next Steps

• If your site is nominated, please work directly with the Industry Hub team.
• Share challenges early so that we can intervene quickly and effectively.
• Expect additional support to enable delivery, not add burden. Please work with your regional RDN to leverage extra resources and support.

Your leadership and engagement as Lead and PI sites will be central to achieving the UK’s national target and to realising our ambition of transforming commercial clinical trial delivery for patients and the NHS

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