‘Where would we be without research?’ - the groundbreaking research in Wales transforming lives

The Minister for Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan has praised the continued efforts of the talented researchers and delivery teams across Wales who have dedicated their time to help shape and participate in world-class research.

Health and Care Research Wales will publish its annual report ‘Where would we be without research?’ today (Thursday 13 October) at a conference which will showcase ground-breaking health and social care research, as well as covering important topics such as changing policy and practice, public involvement, and building research capacity.

Ms Morgan said:

I want to say Diolch o galon to the staff - it’s great to see so many people getting involved.

Through Health and Care Research Wales, Welsh Government invests and supports the studies which will have the most relevance to the people of Wales, and helping provide the evidence to ensure real impact and change and deliver the most effective treatments and care to patients.

The research conducted over the past year has been integral to key policies and national initiatives such as the ambitious vision to transform clinical research delivery across the UK, ‘Saving and improving lives: the future of UK clinical research delivery’.”

Since the pandemic, 119 COVID-19 studies have been set up and delivered with more than 60,000 people in Wales taking part in COVID-19 research. Over the last year, Health and Care Research Wales has continued to fund projects with public, practice and policy relevance while supporting the development of individual researchers across Wales. Funding calls which ran between April 2021 and March 2022 resulted in 30 new research awards amounting to £6.4million.

The Health and Care Research Wales 2022 conference - also themed ‘Where would we be without research?’ - will feature sessions on exploring the impact of biomedical sciences and social care research, improving how we deliver clinical research in Wales, as well as showcasing innovative and interesting ways to help get health and social care research into practice.

Speakers will include Sir Frank Atherton, Chief Medical Officer for Wales; Judith Paget CBE, Chief Executive, NHS Wales; Professor Kieran Walshe, Director of Health and Care Research Wales; Dr Nicola Williams, National Director of Support & Delivery, Health and Care Research Wales; Professor Steve Martin, Director, Wales Centre for Public Policy; Dr Lisa Trigg, Assistant Director, Research, Data & Innovation, Social Care Wales.

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

I am very proud in our annual report and conference this year to showcase the gigantic efforts of the research community to recover research activity across health and social care in Wales, supporting the NHS to restart research in areas where it had been paused due to the pandemic, and set up new dedicated research centres and facilities in health boards across Wales including at Hywel Dda, Betsi Cadwaladr, Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Aneurin Bevan University Health Boards, to offer early access to the very latest treatments and therapies.

Building on the legacy and learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will shortly be setting out our plans for the next three years to improve all health and care research to drive improvements in health and social care services and to lay the foundations for better outcomes for patients, people and communities across Wales.”