A partnership that carries out vital health research across the South West Peninsula to directly benefit patients and NHS services has been awarded £15.5million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC) is a regional research partnership hosted by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth. Set up in 2008, it has conducted and supported projects which have had a significant impact on patient care and improved service delivery. PenARC  brings together NHS and social care organisations, local authorities, charities, Health Innovation Networks, community groups, patients, and academic experts to conduct applied research that addresses the health and care priorities of communities across Devon, Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Somerset and beyond. The new funding means its work can continue for another five years.

Professor Stuart Logan, Director of PenARC and Professor of Paediatric Epidemiology at the University of Exeter, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to secure another five years of PenARC funding from the NIHR. This renewed investment allows us to deepen our work with communities and services, and to continue producing research that makes a real difference locally and nationally. The next phase offers exciting opportunities to scale our impact and ensure that the voices of patients and practitioners remain at the heart of research and innovation.”

This award forms part of a £157million investment by the NIHR to fund 10 regional Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) across England. From April 2026, these ARCs will play a vital role in supporting the transformation of the health and care system by delivering high-quality applied research and accelerating the adoption of innovations into practice. The ARCs are central to achieving the aims of the NHS 10 Year Plan, the Life Sciences Sector Plan, and the Government’s Health and Growth Missions.

Health Innovation Minister, Zubir Ahmed, said: 

“This funding will accelerate the breakthroughs that will underpin the success of our NHS 10 Year Health Plan, ensuring research is going from laboratory to living room and supporting the shift from patient to prevention.

“As we work towards our mission of building an NHS fit for the future, this investment will drive the innovations that matter most to people's daily lives. 

“Every pound invested in this research is an investment in hope - hope for faster diagnoses, more effective treatments, and a health system that truly works for everyone, no matter where they live or what their background.”  

The renewed investment will enable PenARC to expand its patient-centred research, strengthen the use of evidence to improve health and care outcomes, and build capacity across the sector to generate and apply research effectively. Its work will ensure that insights and innovations developed in the South West inform improvements in health and care across England and further afield. 

PenARC projects have had significant impact in a wide range of areas, with highlights including:  

• The treatment of newborn babies with suspected infection with oral antibiotics at home to reduce lengthy hospital stays 
• The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve outcomes for stroke patients 
• The development of nationally adopted and NHS recommended midwife-led training to prevent incontinence

A particular area of PenARC’s strength is the meaningful involvement of patients and the public in research. Patients and members of the public take an active role in research, helping to set the research agenda, working with researchers to design and conduct studies and helping to make sure that the results get used in practice. This Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) activity will continue to be a key component of PenARC activities over the next five years. 

This announcement is the latest boost amid NIHR investment in research infrastructure across the South West, reinforcing the region’s growing reputation as a centre of excellence for health and care innovation.

PenARC works in close partnership with other NIHR-funded centres in the region, with new centres including the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre and the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Sustainable Innovation, adding to an already robust network. Together, they aim to improve the speed, efficiency and quality of research being translated into benefits for patients, in the South West and across the world.  

Professor Richard Byng, Deputy Director of PenARC and Professor of Primary Care Research at the University of Plymouth, said: 

“This renewed funding is a strong endorsement of the collaborative research approach we’ve built over many years. Over the next five years, we’ll continue to co-produce evidence that addresses the most crucial real-world challenges for people and systems in order to drive improvements in health and care across the country.” 

In its next phase, PenARC will continue to focus on producing research that can lead to meaningful improvements in care delivery and population health. 

We have particular expertise in:  

• Dementia and Neurodegeneration  
• Mental Health  
• Ageing Well  
• Children’s Health 
• Prevention 
• Applying advanced research methods, including data science, to address problems facing services  

In addition to the £157million national ARC funding, NIHR will make up to £75million available to support responsive research addressing emerging health and care challenges. This is alongside a further £5million to establish a new ARC Network for strategic coordination and national collaboration. PenARC expects to contribute actively to this wider programme of national impact. 

Professor Helen Quinn, Research and Development Director at Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, added: 

“This renewed NIHR funding is fantastic news for the South West and for the NHS more widely. PenARC’s work has a direct impact on the way we deliver care – from informing clinical practice to shaping national policy. This funding ensures we can continue working together to generate research that improves outcomes for patients, both locally and nationally.”

Learn more on the NIHR PenARC website here.