Health and Care Research Wales publishes new Framework to embed and integrate research in the NHS

Health and Care Research Wales has today published a new Research and Development (R&D) Framework, in a drive to embed and integrate research into all aspects of health and care services in NHS Wales. The Framework outlines what ‘research excellence looks like’ within NHS organisations in Wales where research is embraced, integrated into services, and is a core part of the organisation’s culture.

Improving health and care services in Wales using evidence-based approaches is fundamental to improving the quality of care and putting the public at the heart of everything. It is widely known that research makes a real difference to improving health outcomes and to the lives of patients and people in our communities.

Research provides the opportunity for patients and service users to access new treatments and services, that will improve their health and well-being and contribute to reducing health inequalities in the general population. Health and care research and innovation are critical to the delivery and development of services and NHS organisations in Wales, who have a critical role to play to support research.

We know that NHS research played a vital role during the pandemic, where it was truly embedded and integrated into healthcare services to develop and test treatments for COVID-19. This Framework will be a key driver to keep research high on the agenda within the NHS and reinforce the role it plays in day-to-day care.

It is being published as consistent national guidance to NHS organisations, where its key features are expected to form a core part of organisational culture. Welsh Government is also issuing the Framework via a Welsh Health Circular to signal its importance.

Dr Leighton Phillips, Chair of the NHS R&D Framework working group and Director of Research, Innovation, and University Partnerships at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said:

It’s fantastic to see this key Framework come to fruition and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in its co-design and production for their efforts. 

“The NHS is facing considerable challenges to the way in which it works and the way that we can continue to deliver key services for patients. In this context, research has never been more important, both to the way in which we approach population health and the way in which we design our services, using evidence synthesis to identify gaps in knowledge, establish an evidence base for best-practice guidance, and help inform policymakers and practitioners.  

“Through this Framework, health boards across Wales can ensure that research is embedded within their organisation, putting it at the heart of good patient care and ultimately leading to better outcomes.”

Professor Kieran Walshe, Director of Health and Care Research Wales, said: “In short, research matters. It saves lives, by fundamentally driving improvements in patient care. 

Over the past few years, the crucial role that research and research professionals have played in keeping people healthy and well has become more and more visible, and following an extensive period of focussed and insightful work in collaboration with stakeholders across NHS Wales, I am delighted to announce the launch of our NHS R&D Framework.”