NCVR Transition Principles
Published 24th August 2026
The objective is to cease running parallel NCVR processes and to move to there being no escalations in the NCVR system across the UK by 30 October 2026.
Purpose
This page sets out the high level principles to support those commercial clinical trials that entered the National Contract Value Review (NCVR) process prior to the introduction of the accelerated NCVR process on 1 July 2026.
This will ensure that there is a single NCVR process after 30 October making it clearer and easier for sites and sponsors.
Principle 1: National Single Budget
There will be a single nationally agreed NCVR budget for all commercial studies. Details of the accelerated NCVR process can be found here (Costing and contracting using National Contract Value Review (NCVR) | NIHR)
After the 30 October 2026 all NHS and HSC organisations will be expected to accept the nationally agreed budget without local amendments, changes, renegotiation or escalations of study costs. No escalations will be accepted after this date irrespective of when a trial entered the NCVR process – see below for details of how clinical trials which were submitted prior to 1 July (in-flight studies) should be progressed.
Principle 2: Review in-flight Studies
A review of all studies currently in-flight (those that were submitted prior to 1 July 2026) so subject to the legacy process is being undertaken by NIHR.
The purpose of this review will be to identify studies which will complete the NCVR process and open to recruitment before 30th September 2026.
For those studies at risk of not completing the NCVR process and budget released to sites the legacy pathway by 30 September 2026 a case-by-case transition assessment will be carried out (see principle 3).
Principle 3: Case by Case Transition Assessment
Recognising that studies will be at different stages of progress, decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis taking account of factors including stage of budget development, overall study status/timelines, impact on timelines and study, and sponsor and site preferences.
Where studies are unlikely to complete the NCVR process and have not released the study budget to sites by 30 September 2026, the relevant NIHR team will work with sponsors, CROs, lead NHS organisations and relevant stakeholders to assess the most appropriate transition approach to a no escalation approach by 30 October 2026.
The intention is to ensure we do not continue parallel NCVR processes indefinitely, and where applicable and practical we support studies to complete and release budgets to site pre-30th September 2026. For legacy studies (those studies where recruitment has started but new sites are being set up), sites will not be able to raise escalations after 30th September. This gives 30 calendar days for escalation and resolution as per the legacy process with no escalations in the system after 30 October.
Principle 4: National Consistency and Delivery Responsibility
The accelerated NCVR process is UK wide and these principles have been agreed by all 4 Nations of the UK.
Delivery execution may differ in each nation, but the principles are UK wide.
Principle 5: Escalations
Background – Escalations have been collected retrospectively with the Sponsor and NHS site responsible for registering the escalation with minimal central follow-up or management of each escalation. There is no real time data on current escalations therefore a manual stocktake will be needed and resolution plan for each.
Where escalations cannot be resolved within the specified timescale an alternative plan/decision would need to be developed.
- NIHR Industry Hub (industry@nihr.ac.uk)
- NHS Research Scotland – commercial@nrs.org.uk
- Wales – research-fundingsupport@wales.nhs.uk
- Northern Ireland – NCVR@hscni.net