Mirza Lalani's work involves research and evaluation of policy interventions and initiatives in the NHS and social care in England, first at University College London (2015–2019) and currently at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (2019–present). This work has included policies associated with assessing care quality and patient safety, health professional regulation, workforce development, implementation of new care pathways and models, and integrated care. His research interests focus on the implementation of health and social care policy in complex, fragmented systems involving multiple actors and non-linear change. These include Integrated Care Systems, community pharmacy, and adult social care—areas of growing national priority aligned with the UK Government’s ambition to shift care into the community. Across these contexts, his work is unified by a methodological approach drawing on policy analysis, implementation science, and Theory of Change frameworks to examine how policy translates into practice.
Mirza is currently a co-investigator for NIHR-funded research on: (i) a mixed-methods national evaluation of Pharmacy First in England, and (ii) Social-Decarbon—identifying and modelling targeted low-carbon social care services. He also works with the Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit (PIRU) on health and social care policy evaluation, co-leading two projects: an evaluability assessment of the AMR subscription model and an evaluation of the AMR National Action Plan 2024–2029.