Partners in Care has a long history of supporting research initiatives in the social care sector. We are currently involved in an NIHR-funded programme, and this webpage will act as a hub for current opportunities and resources to help organisations become more research-led. By engaging with research, providers can build evidence-based practice, strengthen their services, and improve outcomes for the people they support.
There are still many myths about social care research - for example, that it's only about frail older people, or that it always involves statistics and data collection. In reality, research in social care is broad and inclusive. It often looks at:
Taking part in research doesn't always mean running a large-scale project. Organisations can contribute in many ways, such as:
With NIHR and national partners committed to placing social care research on an equal footing with health research, there has never been a better time to get involved.
Please see below the opportunities to become more involved in supporting research from NIHR:
Colin, a Research Associate at the University of Bristol, is leading a project on rapid point-of-care UTI testing and is inviting care home managers, staff, residents, and families to take part through interviews, workshops, and activity packs (with expenses covered and staff time reimbursed), to help shape early research that could inform future practice—contact him at colin.housegorowe@bristol.ac.uk
Please click here to view the patient information sheet
The NIHR Healthtech Research Centre (HRC) for Community Care is surveying care home staff, managers, owners, and NHS/local authority colleagues to understand current use of technology and gather ideas on how health tech (devices, apps, kits, machines, tests) could improve care for residents, with findings guiding future industry engagement and technology evaluations-please complete the survey click here if relevant to your work.
We are conducting an interview study (45−60 mins) with care staff, managers, caterers, chefs, nurses, and family members to explore current meal provision in care homes and the potential for plant−based options, to help shape future research − contact s.whyton@surrey.ac.uk to take part or learn more.
University of Sheffield are inviting care homes to take part in the PUMA study - a national NHS-supported research project exploring whether including personalised music within individual care plans can improve wellbeing, support quality care, and reduce changed behaviours, such as distress, for people living with dementia. The study is looking to recruit 58 care homes nationally.
Please contact puma@sheffield.ac.uk> for further information
The REFRESH study team at University of Plymouth are looking for more sites. The study will look at how best to treat malnutrition in older adults living in care homes. If this is of interest please let the team know refresh.penctu@plymouth.ac.uk and they will be in touch. Thank you to everyone who is already supporting this study.
A research team at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS trust are conducting a research study to develop principles for providing care immediately after an older person falls in a care home (known as post-falls management). As part of this research, they would like to carry out an online national survey to map post-falls management processes and procedures in England. They are inviting care home staff and health staff working in acute, community, primary and emergency care settings to take part in the survey.
The survey will be open until 28th February 2026.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the study, please contact the research team - Fran Hallam-Bowles, nuhnt.postfalls@nhs.net
OASIS-CARE is a survey which aims to understand the knowledge, confidence and approaches that care home staff have towards supporting people living with dementia who experience hallucinations, in care home settings. By identifying gaps in knowledge, confidence, and approaches towards hallucinations, the survey can inform targeted training programs for non-pharmacological support for hallucinations in care homes.
The study is sponsored by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and is open until March 2026.
Who can take part? Any person who has a working role in a care home in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Researcher contact for more details: a.al-azzawi1@uni.bsms.ac.uk
or to attend future meetings, please contact Partners in Care at or call 01202 205847.
