BMJ Group awarded government contract to work as part of the NIHR to lead public partnerships and research impact initiative

Global healthcare knowledge provider BMJ Group has been selected by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to lead and coordinate the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)’s Public Partnerships and Maximising Research Impact activities.

Starting 1 April 2025, BMJ Group will spearhead a mission to amplify the relevance, reach, and real-world impact of NIHR-funded research while strengthening its partnership with the public. This partnership unites the Group’s 185-year legacy of research excellence with NIHR’s mission to improve the nation’s health and wealth through research, working in partnership with the public.

BMJ Group is well placed to empower people and communities to shape NIHR research. The values-driven organisation will build on its pioneering work with patient inclusion; its flagship journal, The BMJ, was the first major medical journal to mandate patient involvement in research. Whether in research or education, the Group collaborates with patient editors, patient and public reviewers, and a patient advisory panel to ensure the content and information it disseminates are directly relevant to policy making and clinical practice.

“”We are confident that the strengths of BMJ Group and our aligned values will significantly enhance NIHR’s mission to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. By uniting public partnerships with impactful dissemination, we are equipped to deliver the most efficient expertise and capabilities that set a new global standard for research excellence.” —Chris Jones, CEO, BMJ Group

With over 7,000 policy citations in 2023 alone, BMJ Group ranks among the world’s top ten health policy and practice influencers. Its track record includes transformative partnerships with DHSC, NIHR and NICE. This new initiative reinforces BMJ Group’s role as the preferred partner for organisations looking to maximise research impact and strengthen public engagement

More about BMJ Group

The Group has 185 years of experience in maximising the impact of UK research through public engagement, from supporting Joseph Lister’s antisepsis work in 1857 to Richard Doll’s smoking and lung cancer research in 1960. Established in 1840 with the publication of The BMJ, the Group is a mission-driven subsidiary of the British Medical Association (the BMA), focused on improving health and patient outcomes, aligning closely with the NIHR’s goals.

With a global reputation for trust and independence, the Group employs over 500 staff across five offices worldwide. The global healthcare knowledge provider also publishes over 65 scientific and medical journals and is a leader in education, research capacity building, events, careers, and digital health.

BMJ Group has a long history of successfully delivering contracts of this size or larger for the UK health sector, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).