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Intensive care consultant to lead NIHR's National Research Collaboration Programme 13 Feb 2024

Intensive care consultant, Professor Anthony Gordon, has been appointed as the new Programme Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research's (NIHR) National Research Collaboration Programme (NRCP).

The NRCP is a partnership between the NIHR and NHS England to combine their expertise. The programme commissions high quality evidence for treatments where research can present particular challenges and might otherwise not progress. For example, providing additional support for studies with fewer participants, which may be needed for rare conditions or treatments.

Commenting on the appointment, Professor Gordon said: “I’m delighted to take up the role of NRCP Programme Director. I look forward to ensuring NIHR, the NHS, and the DHSC can combine their strengths and expertise to generate robust evidence for potential new treatments. I want to ensure the NHS is a self-learning health care system so that we can offer patients the very best evidence-based care.”

Professor Gordon is a clinical academic specialising in critical care medicine, an NIHR senior investigator and chair in anaesthesia and critical care at Imperial College London. His research interests are in precision medicine for sepsis and he has led many clinical trials which have shaped international sepsis guidelines. Professor Gordon is also the UK chief investigator for the international REMAP-CAP platform trial for Covid-19 and influenza. The trial has generated evidence to improve treatments for severe Covid-19.

Professor Gordon will begin the role on 1 March 2024, taking over from Professor Danny McAuley who has held the role since the programme started in 2021. NRCP considers 2-3 research topics per year which may be referred by NHS England when other standard NIHR routes for commissioning are unsuitable.

Dr Gail Marzetti, Deputy CEO of NIHR, said: “I’m really pleased Anthony has been appointed to lead NRCP. Under his leadership NRCP will continue its important work co-producing research and identifying the best possible methodology for studies that otherwise might not progress.”