https://www.nihr.ac.uk/In partnership with Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), the University will receive up to £2million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research to fund 10 Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACFs) and two Clinical Lectureships (CLs) for 2026–27.
These prestigious posts, designed to enable doctors to combine clinical practice with research, will focus on addressing long-term conditions such as mental health, heart disease, cancer, and respiratory and musculoskeletal conditions, while providing clinical education to help meet NHS workforce needs.
Greg Irving, Professor of Primary Care and Integrated Academic Training lead, said: “Edge Hill offers an outstanding environment for developing the clinical academic leaders of the future.
“Schemes to create roles like these have already brought exceptional talent into our region, supporting research that makes a tangible difference to the health and wellbeing of our communities.
“This new investment will further strengthen that impact.”
Edge Hill will work closely with LSTM, NHS partners across the North West – including Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – and with primary care and community services to ensure the roles create real impact.
Professor Bertie Squire, LSTM’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Partnerships, added: “We are delighted to be working together with Edge Hill to support the development of talented clinical academics who will work on our shared missions to improve health outcomes for disadvantaged populations.”
The award is the latest in a series of major NIHR investment in Edge Hill, reinforcing the University’s reputation as an emerging hub for health research and innovation. Previous achievements include:
- the £2.5 million Mental Health Leadership Award which attracted significant new clinical academic talent to the region and strengthened the University’s research expertise in the mental health of children and young people;
- a significant funding boost to develop e-Arts-for-the-Blues, a first of its kind digital creative therapy platform for children referred to mental health services;
- an award of £500,000 for the social work department to support deprived coastal communities;
- and funding for a project in partnership with organisations including Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust to investigate what deters under-represented communities from accessing healthcare.
The University was also the first in the region to offer academic clinical fellowship placements on the North West Sports and Exercise Medicine training programme, which includes a range of placements in orthopaedics, and pain and rehabilitation medicine, partnering with both the NHS and elite sporting teams such as world champions St Helens RLFC.
To support these initiatives, Edge Hill has established the Integrated Clinical Academic Training Office, a central hub offering guidance, best practice, recruitment support and career development for clinical academic trainees.
Apply for one of the new roles here and find out more about research at Edge Hill University.
October 15, 2025
