ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs) are a new UK initiative to promote collaboration between universities and healthcare organisations in carrying out and applying the findings of applied health research. But they face significant, institutionalised barriers to their success. This paper seeks to analyse these challenges and discuss prospects for overcoming them. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The paper draws on in-depth qualitative interview data from the first round of an ongoing evaluation of one CLAHRC to understand the views of different stakeholders on its progress so far, challenges faced, and emergent solutions. FINDINGS: The breadth of CLAHRCs' missions seems crucial to mobilise the diverse stakeholders needed to succeed, but also produces disagreement about what the prime goal of the Collaborations should be. A process of consensus building is necessary to instil a common vision among CLAHRC members, but deep-seated institutional divisions continue to orient them in divergent directions, which may need to be overcome through other means. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This analysis suggests some of the key means by which those involved in joint enterprises such as CLAHRCs can achieve consensus and action towards a current goal, and offers recommendations for those involved in their design, commissioning and performance management.