man working in lab

UK investment to boost research across Wales

11 June

Over £18 million has been awarded to NHS organisations across Wales in the first wave of investment enabling the NHS in Wales to conduct more commercial clinical research. 

This investment is funded from the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG), an agreement between the four UK nations and the pharmaceutical industry to provide significant investment (£400million in total) into the UK’s health and life sciences sector during 2024-2029. 

Wales will receive £22.1 million to strengthen the NHS’s ability to conduct commercial clinical research. This funding will support the expansion and enhancement of existing research infrastructure and provide flexible resources to increase workforce capacity and improve clinical trial delivery. 

Through a competitive process, £8million has been allocated to dedicated research facilities, recognising where Wales has the highest track record in commercial trial delivery and where there is potential to rapidly expand that offer and attract more studies into Wales. Collectively, they will form the Wales Commercial Research Delivery Centre (Wales CRDC) and be part of a UK CRDC Network: 

  • North Wales Clinical Research Facility (located in Wrexham)
  • Cystic Fibrosis and Respiratory research (located in Cardiff) 
  • Nephrology and Transplant (located in Cardiff)
  • Children and Young Adults Research Unit (located in Cardiff)
  • Velindre Cancer Centre (located in Cardiff) 

In addition, £2.5millon has been awarded to teams/units with potential to rapidly develop their research delivery capability within 1-2 years to join the Wales CRDC.  

  • Advanced therapies research (All-Wales service based in Cardiff)
  • A new Primary Care and Community Research Delivery Centre (Wales-wide)
  • Neurology research unit (Cardiff) 

A further £7million so far has been awarded to teams/units to support the development and expansion of commercial pharmaceutical research delivery and establish a track record over 1 to 4 years: 

  • Ears, Nose and Throat (Cardiff)
  • Respiratory (Hywel Dda)
  • Cancer (Swansea)
  • All Wales Medical Genomics Service (based in Cardiff)
  • Rare Diseases (Cardiff)
  • Pharmacy, imaging, pathology services across Wales 

An additional £2.5 million will be spent on programme initiatives to ensure commercial research is facilitated at a national level. This will include overseeing the VPAG investment programme, facilitating the once for Wales approach where possible and supporting the delivery of national projects such as Tackling Cancer through Research. A further £1 million will be dedicated to enhancing delivery systems and procuring equipment, strengthening the infrastructure required to support commercial research activities.  

National Director of Support and Delivery, Dr Nicola Williams, said: 

This significant investment will enhance our existing capacity to conduct commercial clinical research across Wales” 

For more information on VPAG and funding opportunities available in the future visit Investing in commercial research delivery.