Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, University of Oxford and Aston University have won £16.3m in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to fund infrastructure to improve the health of people living in the Thames Valley region and beyond, through prevention and innovations in health and social care.
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (OHFT) is the host for the current NIHR ARC OxTV and has been chosen to host the NIHR Thames Valley ARC from April 2026. It will be co-led by University of Oxford’s Professor Kam Bhui CBE, Professor of Psychiatry and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, and Aston University’s Professor Shivani Sharma, a professor at Aston Business School and Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise).
This ARC harnesses the strengths of both institutions and partners to create health and social benefit across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Frimley in Surrey, and the West Midlands. NIHR ARC Thames Valley will collaborate with more than 40 other partners, including NHS trusts, local authorities, voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, businesses and universities.
The ARC Thames Valley will bring together researchers, health and social care staff, patients, public, and wider groups in to implement research findings. The team will listen to health and social care providers and patients to learn about the most pressing needs, and collaboratively set priorities and find practical solutions for fairer health for all.
Read the full story on the Department of Psychiatry website.