# Evaluation of Phase 1 Reforms of the Mental Health Act (MHA)

**Funder:** NIHR
**Budget:** Up to £1.4m
**Duration:** 36 months
**Consortium:** Optional — collaboration encouraged; applications for individual strands considered but all three strands strongly preferred
**Frequency:** One-off
**Eligible countries:** GB
**Official call:** https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/prp-44-03-evaluation-phase-1-reforms-mental-health-act-mha/2026390
**Last updated:** 30 Aug 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Call identifier PRP-44-03. Policy evaluation research on Phase 1 MHA reforms in England only (C(E)TRs, DSRs, prison transfers, Nominated Person, detention criteria). Up to 100% FEC permitted; value for money is a key assessment criterion. Outputs include policy briefings, interim reports, and a final publishable report for DHSC.

## Summary

The NIHR Policy Research Programme funds up to £1.4 million for policy evaluation research on Phase 1 reforms to the Mental Health Act in England, running March 2027, March 2030. The call welcomes applications across three research strands (Crisis Emergency Treatment Rooms, Designated Structuring Rooms, prison transfers, Nominated Person, and detention criteria), with consortium working strongly encouraged but individual strand submissions also accepted. Outputs must include policy briefings, interim reports, and a final report for the Department of Health and Social Care, with value for money as a key assessment criterion.

## Who should apply

- Health services researchers and policy evaluators in England-based institutions
- Interdisciplinary teams with expertise in mental health service delivery, law, and criminal justice
- Research groups with established track records in health policy evaluation and stakeholder engagement
- Applicants able to deliver timely policy outputs for Department of Health and Social Care decision-making

## Key dates

- Study duration: March 2027, March 2030 (36 months)
- Call is one-off; deadline not published on this page segment

## Tips for applicants

- Consortium working across all three research strands strengthens the application; single-strand applications are accepted but cross-strand collaboration is strongly preferred.
- Value for money is a key assessment criterion, justify staffing, costing, and efficiency explicitly.
- Design interim reporting milestones that feed into policy cycles; DHSC expects actionable findings, not only final-stage outputs.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the budget for the NIHR Phase 1 MHA Evaluation call?

Up to £1.4 million for the overall research programme across all three strands, March 2027, March 2030.

### Can I apply for just one research strand?

Yes, individual strand applications are considered, but consortium work covering all three strands is strongly preferred.

### What are the required outputs from this research?

Applicants must deliver policy briefings, interim reports, and a final publishable report for the Department of Health and Social Care.

### Is this call open to institutions outside England?

The research must evaluate Phase 1 MHA reforms in England; host institution eligibility is GB-based.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/nihr-evaluation-of-phase-1-reforms-of-the-mental-health-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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