Health and Care Research Wales announces funding for researchers in latest round of awards

Health and Care Research Wales has today (2 October 2023) announced the recipients of our latest funding call awards, awarded to individuals undertaking research across a wide range of topics including community optometry, period pain, innovation in social care and basic income for care leavers – to name a few.

A total of ten project awardees will receive funding from Health and Care Research Wales under the Research for Patient and Public Benefit Wales and Health Research Grant  project schemes. A further 24 personal awardees will receive funding from our Faculty under the Social Care Fellowship , Social Care Studentship , NHS Research Time Awards and Research Training Award schemes.

Michael Bowdery, Head of Programmes, Health and Care Research Wales, said:

We were once again thrilled to see so many high-quality applications this year for project grants. This diverse portfolio of research projects has the potential to change lives, by making a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing.”

Professor Monica Busse, Health and Care Research Wales Faculty Director, added:

On behalf of our Faculty I am delighted to be able to confirm funding for such a talented group of recipients.  The Faculty will continue to strive to ensure access to the kind of support, guidance and mentoring, that researchers from all backgrounds want and need in order to progress along their chosen research pathway.”

A full list of funding awards and recipients is below:

Health and Care Research Wales – Project Awardees

Research for Patient and Public Benefit (RfPPB) Wales 2022 projects

Dr Chris Moore – Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Just in Case' medicines use by ambulance paramedics Responding to End of Life Care In the Community: a mixed methods study of the Experiences of Paramedics, Doctors, Family and Carers (RELIEF).

Start date: October 2023 (£226,729)

Mrs Rhiannon Reynolds – Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Hospital to Community; The value to stakeholders of community Low Vision Optometrists providing certification of visual impairment in cases of Dry Age Related Macular Degeneration.

Start date: October 2023 (£230,000)

Dr Nia Jones – Cardiff & Vale University Health Board

Feasibility of developing personalised treatment pathways for relief of plantar heel pain using a sequential multiple assignment randomised trial (SMART) study design.

Start date: October 2023 (£195,131)

Research Funding Scheme: Health Research Grant 2022  projects

Dr Lucy Jones – Cardiff University

Improving the Long Term Immune Response to the Flu Vaccine (IRFLUVA).

Start date: September 2023 (£274,618)

Dr Jamie Nash – Welsh Blood Service

Investigations into Cold Stored Platelets for Pre-Hospital Emergency Resuscitation.

Start date: October 2023 (£74,546)

Professor Matthias Eberl – Cardiff University

Early detection of anastomotic leak after colorectal surgery.

Start date: October 2023 (£145,684)

Dr Paula Foscarini-Craggs – Cardiff University

Developing Peer Led Movement-based Intervention to Improve Physical and Psychological Outcomes for Survivors of Torture and Trauma in Wales and Beyond (Peer-MIST)

Start date: October 2023 (£218,626)

Dr David Odd – Cardiff University

PRECIOUS (PREterm Caesarean/vaginal birth & IVH/OUtcomeS) Study: Does mode of birth reduce the risk of death or brain injury in very preterm babies?

Start date: October 2023 (£183,738)

Dr Robyn Jackowich – Cardiff University

Severe Period Pain Is Not Normal: A Realist Evaluation of Severe Period Pain Management in Primary Care Across the Reproductive Life Course in Wales

Start date: October 2023 (£269,577)

Health and Care Research Wales Faculty – Personal Awardees

Social Care Fellowships 2022

Dr Nell Warner – Cardiff University

What affects the chances of children’s successful reunification from care? 

Start date: October 2023 (£360,749)

Dr Rebecca Anthony – Cardiff University

Feeling loved and appreciated: a mixed methods study to examine care-experienced children and young people’s relationships and their association with mental health and wellbeing.

Start date: October 2023 (£344,426)

Dr Laura Elizabeth Cowley – Swansea University Medical School

PREDicting risk of entry and re-entry Into CAre and risk of placeMENT instability from early life experiences amongst children in Wales: An ecological, multi-domain approach (PREDICAMENT).

Start date: October 2023 (£298,071)

Dr Maria Cheshire Allen – Swansea University

DISC  Delivering Innovation in Social Care – The Role of the Social Enterprise Organisations in Supporting Family Carers 

Start date: October 2023 (£281,946)

Dr Amanda Marchant – Swansea University Medical School

Online and Big Data in Social Care Research: Exploring risk factors for increasing rates of suicide and self-harm in children and young people.

Start date: October 2023 (£300,711)

Social Care Studentship 2023

Professor Michael Coffey – Swansea University

Identifying and tackling inequalities for people with severe mental illness needing palliative care: Knowledge needs for addressing barriers across care systems.

Start date: October 2023 (£74,991)

Dr Katy Hamana – Cardiff University

Promoting and supporting participation and social connectedness for people with neurological conditions to reduce loneliness and isolation: empowering local communities through coordination of social care, local community support, and digital technology.

Start date: October 2023 (£74,105)

Dr Juping Yu – University of South Wales

Compassionate care for people from ethnic minority backgrounds: What is it and how can it be applied in social care settings?

Start date: October 2023 (£75,000)

Professor Peter Huxley – Bangor University

In Wales, are contemporary models of front line social care for people with recurrent mental ill health fit for purpose? A mixed method study

Start date: October 2023 (£75,000)

Dr Louise Roberts – Cardiff University

Welsh Basic Income for Care Leavers Pilot: What are the needs, experiences and outcomes for minoritized groups?

Start date: October 2023 (£75,000)

Dr David Wilkins – Cardiff University

Evaluating the quality of social work judgements: What happens to children and families following an assessment?

Start date: October 2023 (£73,852)

NHS Research Time Award 2022

Dr Helen Tench – Hywel Dda University Health Board

Start date: April 2023 (£36,314)

Dr Christina Helen Munro – Hywel Dda University Health Board

Start date: April 2023 (£97,166)

Jordan Evans – Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Start date: March 2023 (£87,709)

Mr Krishna Narahari – Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Start date: April 2023 (£107,319)

Dr Mark Willis – Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Start date:  April 2023 (£47,388)

Dr Duncan McLauchlan – Swansea Bay University Health Board

Start date: April 2023 (£86,333)

Research Training Award 2023

Dr Bethan Griffiths – Glan Rhyd Surgery

Start date: October 2023 (£51,750)

Mrs Emma Britton – Self-employed

Start date: October 2023 (£18,550)

Dr Chineze Invenso – Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Start date: October 2023 (£36,954)

Mrs Clare Jones – Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

Start date: October 2023 (£43,344)

Miss Michelle McCann – Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Start date: October 2023 (£39,937)

Mrs Caroline Privett – Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Start date: October 2023 (£7,000)

Mrs Nicola Palmer - Public Health Wales

Start date: October 2023 (£30,741)