Health and Care Research Wales supports research into women’s health with launch of new £3m centre

Welsh government Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy MS, has hailed the launch of a new £3 million Women's Health Research Wales centre thanks to funding from Health and Care Research Wales.

Ms Murphy said the new centre would 'attract and retain leading researchers and help ensure Welsh women's experiences and needs shape the women’s health strategy for Wales’.

The funding boost represents a significant commitment to addressing health inequalities and shaping future services for women, as set out in the Women’s Health Plan for Wales.

Ms Murphy said: “This new research centre, the first for women’s health in Wales, will be crucial in helping us better understand women's experiences, develop more effective treatments, and ensure our health services truly meet women's needs at every stage of their lives.

“I hope the centre will attract and retain leading researchers in the field and help ensure Welsh women's experiences and needs drive our women’s health plan for Wales.”

The announcement is part of a wider £49 million funding package announced by Health and Care Research Wales, supporting 17 research centres across the country.

The Women’s Health Plan for Wales, published in December, set out plans to launch a call for women’s health research, with a budget of £750,000 in April 2025 as well as encouraging Welsh universities to bid for catalytic funding to create a Women’s Health Research Centre. 

The Women’s Health Network, part of the NHS Executive, will now work with Health and Care Research Wales and the academic community to improve the women specific health evidence available in Wales.

Dr Helen Munro, National Clinical Lead for Women's Health, said: “This is an encouraging step towards achieving a more equal healthcare system for women in Wales and represents a real investment in our future health.

“The Women's Health Network, part of the NHS Wales Executive, will look forward to working with our colleagues in Health Care Research Wales, and together with key stakeholders, will work to develop both the data and evidence that is specific to women. This crucial work will be key in helping to shape the services which will improve experiences and outcomes for women in Wales.”