£44 million investment in health and social care research in Wales

Cancer, dementia, mental health and children’s wellbeing are among the key research areas to receive funding for the next five years from Health and Care Research Wales.

They are part of a £44 million investment from Welsh Government in health and social care research to improve care and services.

For example, £4.8 million has been awarded to the Wales Cancer Research Centre, which develops and manages cancer research including studies into new cutting-edge treatments and earlier diagnosis.

There is also new funding for the Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE), which has been awarded £2.45 million. CASCADE aims to improve the wellbeing, safety and rights of children and their families.

Other funded groups include:

• Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research (£2.8 million) – a world-class research centre looking to answer key questions about ageing and dementia, to improve the lives of older people.
• National Centre for Mental Health (£4.7 million) – a world-leading research centre working to learn more about the triggers and causes of mental health problems, from the environment and life experiences through to people’s genetics and biological makeup.
• Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank (£4.5 million) – an internationally recognised databank of anonymised data about the population of Wales, which can be accessed for research to improve health, wellbeing and patient services.
• Health and Care Economics Cymru (£1.1 million) – a Wales-wide service led by Bangor University providing health economics support for research and to improve decision making in health and social care.
• Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer) (£2.4 million) – the centre focuses on the health and wellbeing of children and young people, bringing together leading experts to tackle public health issues such as diet and nutrition; physical activity; and tobacco, alcohol and drugs.

Vaughan Gething, Minister for Health and Social Care, said:

“Welsh Government’s long-term plan, A Healthier Wales, sets out a vision to deliver the right health and social care services, when and where people need them most.

“Research has a vital part to play in achieving that vision – making sure people have access to the latest care they need to stay well and also the very best care when they become ill.”

Health and Care Research Wales generates and supports excellent research to improve the health and care of people in Wales. It does this in a number of ways including running funding schemes for high-quality research projects and collaborating with the NHS, academics, industry, social care and the third sector.

Professor Kieran Walshe, Director of Health and Care Research Wales, said:

“Investing in health and social care research in Wales is essential. Research has provided us with the evidence for the services and care we provide today, and future research will help develop new treatments and services to improve care for people and communities in Wales.

“As well as continued funding for key areas such as cancer, mental health and dementia, we’re also excited to be able to support and deliver research in new areas such as children’s wellbeing and social prescribing.

“This funding enables excellent research to continue in Wales; research that will make a real difference to people’s lives.”

 

Health and Care Research Wales 2020 Research Development Infrastructure

Centre for Ageing & Dementia Research - £2,850,462.00

National Centre for Mental Health - £4,749,752.05

Wales Cancer Research Centre - £4,875,000.00

Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank - £4,545,558.17

Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Care Research - £4,856,662.47 including £221,916.00 for the Wales Institute for Social Prescribing Research

Wales Cancer Bank - £2,412,527.01

Wales Gene Park - £3,895,000.38

National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research - £3,356,124.15

Centre for Trials Research - £2,470,489.26

Swansea Trials Unit - £1,053,377.00

North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health - £1,101,000.00

Health and Care Economics Cymru, formerly Welsh Health Economics Support Service - £1,163,600.00

Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre Partnership - £2,457,081.00

Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement - £2,488,487.00

Brain Repair And Intracranial Neurotherapeutics Unit - £757,000.00

Wales Kidney Research Unit - £450,000.00

Diabetes Research Wales - £192,500.00

Gambling Research, Evaluation and Treatment Wales Network - £75,000.00