Research community

Health and Care Research Wales funds a world-class research community to support and increase capacity in research and development.

You can find out more about each organisation and how to contact them by clicking on their profile below.

Improving health and care research in Wales: building and sustaining research capacity and capability

Health and Care Research Wales is implementing a revised infrastructure funding framework to develop further capacity and capability in health and care research, as part of its 3 year plan for 2022-25.

Health and Care Research Wales currently invests in a range of research centres, units or groups based in higher education institutions in Wales. The core remit of all funded groups is to develop, support and sustain a high-quality research portfolio in areas of established research need. Portfolios include the capture of large grants from UK funders including the UK Research Councils, such as the Medical Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council; National Institute for Health and Care Research programmes; as well as Health and Care Research Wales research grant schemes. This expects a five-fold research grant income return on core infrastructure investments.

The revised funding framework builds on existing research excellence in order to secure further UK and international investment. It also provides scope for new areas of research to develop where there is both a strong Welsh evidence need and a trajectory towards competitive research excellence at a UK and international level.

Director of Health and Care Research Wales Professor Kieran Walshe said: “As a research funder with a constrained budget we need to demonstrate the value of investing in research infrastructure and we need to be strategic and selective about our investments. We plan to base our approach in future on two key considerations. Firstly, whether there is a clear and compelling research and evidence need in the area for Welsh Government, the NHS in Wales and the social care system in Wales. Secondly, is there demonstrably strong or emerging research capacity and capability in the area, as shown by its past performance against our framework and real current and future competitive advantage in seeking and securing research funding at a UK and international level."