About

NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) support applied health and care research that responds to, and meets, the needs of local populations and local health and care systems. 

​The NIHR ARC Wessex is one of 15 ARCs across England, part of a £135 million investment by the NIHR to improve the health and care of patients and the public.  

​The ARC Wessex programme of research addresses four areas related to the health and social care needs of our community.  

​NIHR ARC Wessex is acting as the national lead on research for Ageing, dementia and Frailty. 

Our mission 


“To improve outcomes for patients and public; improve quality, delivery and efficiency of health and care services; increase the sustainability of health and care systems locally and nationally.“ 

​National Institute for Health and Care Research 


Our four main research themes are: 

  • Ageing & Dementia 
  • Long Term Conditions 
  • Healthy Communities  
  • Workforce and Health Systems 

We incorporate our Mental Health Hub and Social Care Hub within each of these themes. 

Each NIHR ARC is made up of local providers of NHS services, local providers of care services, NHS commissioners, local authorities, universities, private companies and charities. These collaborations work together to conduct high quality, generalisable, applied health and care research that addresses the specific health or care issues in their region. 

​NIHR ARCs act to increase the rate at which research findings are implemented into practice. 

​The 15 ARCs work collaboratively to address national research priorities, with individual ARCs providing national leadership in their areas of expertise.  

Visit the NIHR ARC Wessex website

A hospital ward showing a trolley of equipment at the end of each bed. There is 1 member of staff facing away from the camera completing a chart.

Serious health risks posed by nurse shortages

Understaffing is linked to an increased risk of serious illness and patient death in hospitals.

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People, projects and publications

People