Research centres receive major Health and Care Research Wales funding

The University of South Wales (USW) is collaborating with research centres receiving almost £10million of funding in a major announcement by Health and Care Research Wales.

Health and Care Research Wales has announced Research Development Infrastructure funding for 17 research centres across Wales, including five new organisations. The funding has been awarded across two categories - sustainability awards, for currently funded groups to maintain effective models of practice and support a trajectory towards self-sustainability, and catalytic awards, to boost capacity and capability in areas of health and care need and emerging Welsh research strength. 

Receiving a sustainability award, the Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Care Research (£2,996,483) is co-led by Cardiff University, USW, Bangor University, and Swansea University. The centre aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Wales and internationally through conducting high quality research on topics of national priority contributing to the evidence base and ensuring that research findings are translated into policy and practice.

USW is collaborating with the following research centres receiving catalytic awards:

• National Centre for Suicide and Self-harm Research (£2,085,939) 

Gareth Roderique-Davies, Professor of Psychology at USW, is co-applicant on the award for the establishment of a new National Centre for Suicide and Self-harm Prevention.

This groundbreaking initiative is led by Professor Ann John at Swansea University, with Cardiff University, USW, and The Samaritans. The Centre's primary objective is to prevent suicide by developing research in Wales, acknowledging the complex interplay of factors contributing to suicide and self-harm. The Centre will build a coalition across areas of expertise and sectors, including government, public sector agencies, third sector organisations, researchers, and individuals with lived experience. USW will contribute expertise in polydrug use (mixing substances), mental health, and risk of suicide and self-harm. This will build upon USW’s Addictions Research Group’s research into co-occurring alcohol and cocaine use.

• Women's Health Research Wales (£3,013,936)

Deborah Lancastle, Associate Professor of Health Psychology at USW, is co-applicant on the Women's Health Research Wales award for a new women's health research centre in Wales.

Led by Cardiff University, with Bangor University, Swansea University, and USW, the Centre aims to develop, support, and conduct research, innovation, and co-production in all areas of women’s health.

The Centre's mission is to eliminate long-standing inequalities that impact on women's wellbeing across four themes: prevention and healthy transitions, early and life-long conditions, rare and stigmatized conditions, and underserved communities. 

• Centre for Vision Services Research (£1,746,729) 

USW’s Carolyn Wallace, Professor of Community Health and Care Services, and Dr Mark Davies, Associate Professor and Head of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience, are co-applicants on the Centre for Vision Services Research.

This Centre unites experts - ophthalmologists, optometrists, health economists, social workers, nurses, and more - from leading Welsh universities to enhance research and services for people with sight problems.

The research will focus on five priority areas critical to improving vision services and outcomes for people with sight problems: Reducing hospital eye service waiting lists, transforming sight impairment and rehabilitation pathways, advancing person-centred outcome measures, optimising care intervals, risk profiling and new technologies, and improving vision care for vulnerable populations.

Jeremy Miles, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said: “Research has a critical role to play in helping us to achieve our aim of ‘A Healthier Wales’. This is an important investment in new and exciting areas of research, including women’s health; preventing suicide and self-harm and AI – I hope it provides real evidence over the next five years, which will help shape services and care for people across Wales.”

Michael Bowdery, Joint Interim Director at Health and Care Research Wales and Head of Programmes, Research and Development Division at Welsh Government, said: “This announcement represents a significant investment in our funded infrastructure in Wales over the next five years, and reflects our ambition to advance research capability aligned with unmet health and social need in key policy areas. 

 “Our approach to providing this funding is based on two criteria – firstly, where there is a clear and compelling research and evidence need in the area for Welsh Government, the NHS and social care system in Wales; and secondly, where there is demonstrably strong or emerging research capacity and capability in the area.   

 “These centres embody the principle of research having the power to make a difference to people’s health and wellbeing, and we are pleased to be able to support their activity in this field.”