NHSA urges UK PM to address inequalities in health research funding

Twenty-two of the North’s leaders in health and life sciences, led by the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA), have written to prime minister Rishi Sunak urging him to address significant regional inequalities in health research funding.

The NHSA’s analysis of funding for health research published this week shows in 2022 the North received £405 million for research funding, compared to the £1.69 billion awarded to London, Oxford, and Cambridge.

A letter sent to the prime minister has called on him to urgently increase investment in health research across the North.

The analysis shows:

• The funding discrepancy per-person is significant, with the Greater South East receiving over two and a half times more per person than in the North – £68.58 compared to £25.72, respectively.
• In the North, Greater Manchester was awarded the most direct funding at £42.10 per person – however this was still significantly less than London at £102.37 per person and Cambridgeshire at £337.85 per person
• Since the last figures were published in 2018, the North has received an increase of £81 million, while the South received an increase of £200 million.
• At the current rate of change, the total North-South funding allocation per head would not be the same until 2082.
• Collectively, the northern Combined Authorities were awarded £48,934,215 infrastructure funding. There are individual buildings in London and Cambridge that received more investment than the entire North.

Dr Séamus O’Neill, chief executive of the NHSA, said: “The collective voice of leaders in our sector shows just how pressing this issue is, and the impact this inequity is having on our regions.

“A wealth of evidence shows that people in the North experience adverse health outcomes compared to their southern counterparts, therefore we feel there is no justification for such a shocking gap in funding. I sincerely hope the prime minister takes notice of the seriousness of this issue and we look forward to hearing the Government’s response to our analysis.” Med-Tech Innovation