Institutional context

The ISM is partly funded by the National Institute of Health Research’s (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London, 2019–2024 (formerly the ‘Collaboration for Applied Leadership Health Research and Care’ (CLAHRC) South London, 2013–2018). This is one of a number of applied health research collaborations across England, centrally funded by the NIHR to produce highly implementable and high-quality applied health research that addresses urgent health and healthcare needs of the English population, and also to develop capacity in applied health research and healthcare implementation (including implementation research and practice). The NIHR ARC South London comprises a diverse and multidisciplinary team working collaboratively between academic institutions and NHS organisations across South London.

Within this research infrastructure, the Centre for Implementation Science was established in 2014 and became operational in 2015. Based within the Health Service and Population Research Department of King’s College London, the Centre leads implementation research and education activities and supports the research carried out by the ARC South London with the primary goal of helping to better implement research-driven best practices. The Centre is currently the largest implementation research infrastructure of its kind in the UK and Europe, hosting over 50 staff members—including faculty, scientists, and managerial and administrative personnel. The Centre is the organisation that hosts and delivers the ISM.