The REF is the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in higher education institutions. The results from REF 2021 highlight the combined strength and impact of applied health research at King’s and demonstrate that King’s research is world-leading in this area.

The Faculty submitted 107 high-quality research papers and 5 impact case studies as part of the Unit of Assessment 3 (UAO3) submission to the REF, alongside submissions from colleagues in Dentistry, Pharmacy and Life Course Sciences at King’s.

Out of the 89 submissions made by UK universities to UOA3, King’s was first for overall research rated 4* (the highest possible mark), first for research outputs with 92.1% of outputs being rated 3* or 4*, first for impact rated 4* with 86.4% of impact case studies rated 4*, and first for Grade Point Average and Power*. King’s UAO3 submission also received 100% for environment, along with 12 other institutions. 

The Faculty is responding to areas of massive future need for changing societies and the impact case studies submitted cover a wide range of research, including, novel breathlessness therapies that could benefit 75 million people worldwide, innovations in medical devices for wound care that are providing better quality of life for people with long-term health conditions, transforming lives by increasing access to rehabilitation services and new trials and outcome measures that are helping to advance access to palliative care for people across the globe

Active patient and public involvement is instilled across the Faculty’s research, and the submission highlighted the pioneering Experience-based Co-design project enabling patients and staff to work together. The Faculty also has an award-winning online Patient & Public involvement Forum (PPI) at the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation.