Applications for the NIHR Health and Care Professional Internship Programme close at 5pm on Monday 6th July 2026— so if you’ve been thinking about applying, now is the time.
NHS R&D North West, alongside regional partners from NHS Trusts, Professional Networks and HEIs, is delivering the second cohort of this programme across the North West Region of England in 2026.
What is the NIHR HCP Internship Programme?
This is a highly prestigious, fully funded 12-month programme offering predoctoral, tailored learning and development for the full range of health and care professions. Whether you’re curious about putting research into practice or already engaged in it in a limited way, the internship provides a funded opportunity to step away from your substantive role and build your research career.
The programme includes:
- Up to 30 days of funded research time
- A 6-day residential educational programme (delivered as 3 x 2-day workshops over the first 6 months)
- Mentoring and group coaching
- Support to work on or propose your own achievable research project
- A 1-day celebration event
Successful interns will be awarded up to £10,000 to support educational engagement, training, development activities and salary backfill for their employer.
Who should apply?
This programme is for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, pharmacists, healthcare scientists, and those working in social care or social work, with the drive and ambition to become a future research leader. To be eligible, you must:
- Not already hold, or be studying for, a higher research degree (e.g. Professional Doctorate or PhD)
- Be a health or social care professional registered with an approved regulatory body
- Have your main employment in the North West of England with an NHS body, or an NHS/non-NHS provider of publicly or third-sector funded health and social care services
Applications are also encouraged from those in Local Authority health and care roles, and from less research-active professions and organisations.
How to apply
Applications are online only via JotForm and close at 5pm on Monday 6th July 2026. Please note: queries can’t be answered after 12pm on Friday 3rd July, so don’t leave it to the last minute.
Before applying, please download and read the Guidance Notes, which include the residential workshop dates and step-by-step application instructions, and complete the PDP Template, which forms part of your online application.
For help with the online application, contact sara.coppa@researchnorthwest.nhs.uk. For general programme questions, contact joanne.simpson@researchnorthwest.nhs.uk.