Unified strategy needed to drive Public Health Research collaboration in Wales
A robust Academic Public Health Research (APHR) environment in Wales is crucial for addressing population health challenges, advancing innovation, and supporting economic growth. Despite a rich history of public health research and a favourable policy environment, the APHR landscape in Wales faces challenges due to limited capacity, reduced funding, and a lack of a strategic approach across the system. Reversing this downward trend requires a multi-faceted, long-term strategy amid broader financial pressures across the research environment in Wales.
There is currently no coherent strategy for public health research in Wales, leading to fragmentation and inefficiencies. While Public Health Wales (PHW) is well-positioned to facilitate strategic developments, effective leadership must also involve Welsh Government (WG), the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), and collaborations with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), the National Health Service (NHS), local authorities, and the third sector. A focus on Wales' unique strengths and priority areas will be crucial to ensure impact and sustainability.
This report has identified several opportunities for APHR in Wales:
Strategic Coordination: A unified APHR strategy focused on Wales’ unique strengths and aligned with population health priorities could enhance the ability to attract resource and increase the sustainability and impact of research programmes.
Capacity Building: Expanding sustainable funding for research posts, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and leveraging WG and UK-level initiatives can bolster APHR infrastructure.
Workforce Development: Investing in career pathways, joint posts, and training programmes for early-career researchers and other public health professionals is critical for future growth.
Recommendations and next steps
Develop a Vision and Strategy: PHW, in collaboration with all HEIs in Wales, should lead the development of a cohesive APHR strategy which defines core values, short- and long-term goals, and actionable steps. This should draw on Wales’ AHPR assets and collaboration, to enhance research capacity, research funding success, and research impact.
Focus on Wales’ Strategic Strengths: Identify priority areas for research that balance innovation with applied public health needs and foster collaboration between HEIs and other national and international stakeholders to maximise Wales’ research potential.
Enhance Funding and Partnerships: Build stronger relationships with national and international funders to ensure funding streams address public health challenges in Wales, support increased investment in the Welsh APHR infrastructure, and encourage competitive grant applications by strengthening institutional capacity and collaboration.
Support the Next Generation of public health researchers: Develop a sustainable pipeline of public health researchers equipped to address future challenges. Create clear career pathways, improve research training, and promote secondments and joint posts between PHW, HEIs and other partners.
The APHR system in Wales has the potential to address pressing health challenges through high-quality, impactful research. The report underscores the need for a cohesive strategy, enhanced funding, stronger collaboration mechanisms, and focused development of career pathways to sustain and grow public health research capacity in Wales. It calls for key stakeholders to think differently and work together to maximise the strengths and assets of the system and develop the next generation of public health researchers. By fostering strategic coordination, enhancing capacity, and investing in public health career development, Wales can create a thriving APHR environment that benefits population health, policy, and the economy.
For a full copy of the report, please email elen.delacy@wales.nhs.uk