The new Health and Care Professional (HCP) Internship Programme is based on the previous ICA Internship Programme. It has increased eligibility and scope as part of the NIHR Academy’s expanded portfolio of career support for health and social care professionals. This programme will:
● provide 3 years of funding at a regional level
● provide tailored learning and development to registered health and care professions (not including doctors and dentists)
● support individuals across the full range of research related career aspirations
● develop collaborative partnerships and networks between organisations at a regional level
● embed a positive and inclusive research culture within health and care services
The internship award is for registered health and care professionals in the following circumstances:
- Stepping into Research: In clinical or practitioner roles with little or no research experience who want to take the first step into research to learn about ways to engage with research to improve professional practice and embed research in care
- Delivery leadership in Research: In research delivery roles who want to extend their research delivery skills, improve research delivery practice and leadership, and/or gain experience in wider aspects of the research process
- Growing in Research: In Enhanced or Advanced Practitioners roles who want to develop the research pillar of their role and/or to develop team research culture and confidence
- Clinician or Practitioner academic leadership in Research: Aspiring clinical academics who want to develop their research knowledge and skills to lay foundations for future funding awards
In the East Midlands region, we are offering a semi-structured package. This involves some core workshops, alongside the opportunity to further build an internship programme to suit your own circumstances, interests and work needs as long as it fits within the NIHR remit.
How to apply
To apply you will need to complete the online application form below.
Applications are now open and will close at midnight on the 1st September 2025.
The internships will be awarded in an open competition and selection for the award will be on your submitted application and interview.
The programme will commence with the first workshop on the 4th November 2025.
Key dates:
- Application closing date — 1st September 2025
- Outcome of written application — 14th September 2025
- Interviews (online) — W/C 22nd September 2025
- Outcome of interviews — W/C 29th September 2025
- Internship start date — 4th November 2025
Funding and eligibility
Funding
Each intern will receive £10,000 to develop a programme that meets your own learning needs and areas of interest. The funding can be used to cover salary backfill, research training and development, research and other activities.
Eligibility
The East Midlands Internship is open to applications from Health and Care Professionals (excluding doctors and dentists from the listed regulatory bodies). You must hold your main employment in the East Midlands region and have the support of your line manager.
Meet the team
Meet the East Midlands NIHR Health and Care Internship team:
Our East Midlands Health and Social Care Internship (EMHCI) partnership, is made up of three hubs. It is led by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), in collaboration with the University of Nottingham (UoN), Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (LICB), University of Lincoln (UoLi), University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and University of Leicester (UoL). The partnership has been selected to deliver on our ambition to provide tailored learning and development to a diverse range of registered health and care professionals across a range of research-related opportunities.
Leads of these organisations are:
- Dr Louise Bramley and Dr Helen Janiszewski - Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Dr Kerry Evans - University of Nottingham
- Dr Linzy Houchen-Wolloff - Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)
- Dr Seth O’Neil - University of Leicester
- Professor Ros Kane - University of Lincoln
- Kirsten Guy - Lincolnshire Integrated Care System
|
Name |
Organisation |
Example offer (s) for internships |
|---|---|---|
|
Prof. G Stacy |
Nottingham Trent University |
Working with Nottingham Civic Exchange on community-engaged research projects |
|
N Riley |
Engagement Lead Skills-for-Care |
Insight visits and support |
|
Dr L Bernhardt |
Leicestershire Partnership Trust LPT |
Full R&I offer across all three pathways specialist in Community and Mental Health Services |
|
C McDonald |
Leicester Leicestershire and Rutland ICB |
Case study in research delivery, Research Engagement Network and Underserved Communities |
|
E Orton |
Leicestershire County Council |
Health Determinants Research Collaboration, engagement in research priority setting with our Citizens’ Assembly and community research champions |
|
I Brockhurst |
Primary Care Network/ Charnwood Federation |
Raise the profile and opportunities across the Federation. |
|
C Barrow/ Dr Z Islam |
LOROS Hospice |
Training programme to support community researchers to undertake sensitive national research |
|
Dr E Rowley |
EM.ARC |
Learn by doing opportunities linked to knowledge mobilisation |
|
Dr K Hinsliff-Smith |
De Montford University |
Clinical academic support and research placements |
|
D Kumar |
RRDN |
Learning and development opportunities via the NIHR Training Teams |
|
E Redman |
Midlands Health Alliance |
Expedite opportunities for innovators and innovation across our infrastructure |
|
Health Innovation East Midlands Network |
Health Innovation East Midlands Network |
Shadowing opportunities |
|
N Brunskill |
Leicestershire Academic Health Partners |
Shadowing opportunities/strategy designing and implementation to include Innovation. Research experience programme (REP) |
|
B. Kumaramel |
College of clinical leadership |
Leadership insight visits |
|
Prof S Singh, Dr Linzy Houchen-Wolloff |
NIHRLeicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) |
Training and capacity development. Clinical academic careers for NMAHPs. Research placements in BRC themes. Links to EDI/ Research Inclusion and Cultural Competency Training |
|
Prof D Wright/ Prof J Manning/ Prof D Battacharya |
University of Leicester |
Clinical academic support and research placements incl. paediatrics and pharmacy. |
|
K Fairbrother/V Booth and A Cowley |
Nottingham University Hospitals |
Research Delivery Placements and wider support in research translation and clinical academic |
|
A Steel |
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust |
Learning visits and placements within the 'Research Academy' |
|
H Finch |
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals |
Shadowing, research set up / delivery, Clinical Trials pharmacy time |
|
A Ghezzi/ |
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust |
Institute for Excellence in Healthcare (IEH): Clinical academic support and research placements and research delivery |
|
D Stacy/L Leaston |
Lincolnshire County Council Public Programme Leads |
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Evaluating health campaigns and disease prevention programmes |
|
R Reza |
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Derbyshire ICS |
Research delivery teams are able to host interns either across different services in own organisation or across settings and sectors in the system or research infrastructure organisations in the region. |
|
Dr H Slyne/E. Lambert |
Northampton General Hospital |
Research Delivery Placements and wider support in research translation and clinical academic |
|
D Jeffrey |
Lincolnshire Community Health Services |
Experience of different types of research studies from most specialties delivered in community and primary care. |
|
K Guy |
Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board |
Coordination of internships through the Lincolnshire ICS. |
|
R Illingworth |
Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board |
Research at a strategic level and the importance of a collaborative and partnership approach |
|
G Bird
|
Nottinghamshire Alliance Training Hub and Practice Nurse Lead |
Access to GPN researchers and shadowing Nottinghamshire Mid Notts and Bassetlaw
|
|
Dr C Diver/Dr S Redsell |
University of Nottingham |
Access to INSIGHT cohort and UoN Clinical academic support incl. paediatrics/Health Visiting |
Find out more
Further information about the NIHR Health Care Professional Internship can be found in the presentation and video below from the launch event on 16th July 2025.
PRESENTATION SLIDES - East Midlands NIHR Health Care Professional Internship Launch
VIDEO — NIHR East Midlands Health Care Professional Internship Launch
Contact us
For further enquiries and support, please contact: nuhnt.eminternship@nhs.net