The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has invested £1.95m in a five-year Multiple Long-Term Conditions Cross NIHR Collaboration (MLTC CNC) – the first of its kind.

Hosted by Newcastle University, the CNC aims to bring together the NIHR’s translational, applied and policy research infrastructure to identify common research priorities and work together to tackle key questions in MLTC research, such as how people with multiple conditions can best navigate the healthcare system.

Chronic conditions

The term multiple long-term conditions (MLTC) refers to the co-existence of two or more chronic conditions (physical or mental) in a person. There are an estimated 14 million people in England living with MLTC, and it is a significant challenge for health and care services.

Co-Chaired by Professor Avan Aihie Sayer, Director of NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, and Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of NIHR Applied Research Collaboration for East Midlands, the collaboration will bring together representatives from all parts of the NIHR infrastructure through a newly established Steering Group.

Professor Sayer, a William Leech Professor of Geriatric Medicine at Newcastle University, said: “One in four people in England are living with MLTC.

“These conditions can develop at any stage of life but become more common and burdensome with age, leading to significant personal and societal cost such as increased need for health and social care. So this new collaboration is a fantastic opportunity to work across multiple conditions and disease areas in order to address this major health challenge.

“By working with colleagues from across the NIHR, but also with our partners, we are excited about what this collaboration can achieve and its potential to tackle the research questions that matter to people with MLTC and their carers.”

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR, said: “A significant number of people across the UK are affected by multiple long term conditions, with real impacts on their health and wellbeing, and on how they best receive care within the health service overall.

“We know that understanding and tackling this challenge requires a multidisciplinary approach so that researchers, those with multiple long-term conditions and their carers, and health and care professionals can come together in a coordinated way.

“This new collaboration will bring in expertise and infrastructure across the NIHR and facilitate working together with key partners across the research ecosystem.”

Exciting initiative

Workstreams will be developed in three key areas of MLTC research: Models of Care, Interventions & Prevention and Methodologies and Cross-cutting themes. These will be enhanced by cross-cutting themes including quality of life, addressing health inequalities, capacity building and ensuring interdisciplinary research.

Professor Khunti said: “This exciting initiative will help bring patient engagement activities together with all the NIHR infrastructures, third sector and industry partners enabling different specialities to collaborate on MLTC research. Another key part of the collaboration will be capacity development for researchers and patients.”

The collaboration will engage with industry, including pharma, medtech and a variety of partners across the UK’s health and care system. In addition, the collaboration will work with charities and the Academic Health Science Network and Health and Data Research UK.

Find out more about MLTC research in the NIHR