These pages describe the funding flows within NIHR Comprehensive Clinical Research Network and explain how NTW CLRN, as part of the CCRN, deploys that resource within NHS Trusts that are its Member Organisations.
Background
NTW CLRN is funded through the NIHR CRN which is in turn funded from the Department of Health. Our remit is to:
- Establish, fund and actively manage a high quality clinical research infrastructure in support of NIHR portfolio research
- Provide NHS Trusts with funding to cover NHS Service Support Costs associated with this activity
- Provide and deploy resources for research management in order to ensure that the research portfolio is delivered to the highest standard of research governance.
It should be noted that work on studies that are not on the NIHR portfolio can not be supported using CLRN resource. For commercial (Industry) Portfolio studies CLRN provides study resources on a full cost recovery basis using the National Costing Template.
CLRN budget allocations
The NIHR Comprehensive Local Research Network (CLRN) funding comprises a fixed (Per capita) and flexible (activity based) allocation.
The National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network has developed a model for activity based funding: this informs CLRN budget allocations. NTW CLRN will receive approximately £10m in 2011/12 with over £8m of that being derived from activity based funding.
The details of the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear CLRN Budgets can be found at the following link:
Providing CLRN Support for studies
All NTW CLRN funding is devolved to NHS Trusts to provide infrastructure and 
resources to support NIHR portfolio studies.
£6.6m of the 2011/12 NTW CLRN budget was allocated direct to Trusts. This allocation to Trusts is calculated from the relative contribution to the recruitment within the CLRN over the last funding year.
Each Trust uses allocated funding to provide infrastructure to support research activity. This is available within Trusts as teams of research nurses, Allied Health Professionals and other skilled and trained staff who are required to deliver a study. Provision is also made for services vital to the running of research eg: pharmacy, radiology and pathology. The table below summarises the current infrastructure for NHS research provided by NTW CLRN.
If you are working on a portfolio study and need access to infrastructure support for that study your first port of call should be your Trust’s R&D department who administer the funding.
£3.9m of the 2011/12 budget was used by the Exec to support initiatives such as the CLRN clinical sessions and Clinical Research Associates posts. This funding is then paid to the Trusts to pay the salaries of those involved. If you want to know more about these initiatives or the processes by which you apply please use the links below.
