Developing a Vision for Academic Public Health Research in Wales

Public Health Wales is seeking to work with key stakeholders to create a vision for academic public health research in Wales. This work will begin by examining the public health research landscape in Wales, before developing a vision that harnesses Wales’ unique strengths and capacity, to address the health and wellbeing challenges facing our population.  

The first phase of this work takes the health and wellbeing challenges for the population of Wales, reflected in PHW’s six strategic priorities, as a starting point to explore the breadth and scope of the academic public health research landscape in Wales.  

This analytical phase includes an open call for evidence, which requests information on areas of research strength including successful funding applications, key publications, and national/international collaborations.  

Public Health Wales invites all university departments, divisions and units which work on research relating to public health to complete the call for evidence by 18 September 2023.  

Academic centres, schools or units are invited to submit evidence to PHW, through an online proforma, about key research they wish to highlight that falls into any of the three domains of public health (ie. health improvement, health protection and health services quality improvement).   

The second phase, to co-produce with stakeholders a vision for academic public health research in Wales, will follow the conclusion of this analytical work and commence early 2024.    

This project is led by Iain Bell, Executive Director of Public Health Data, Knowledge and Research at PHW, supported by a Steering Group comprising a small group of senior leaders from Wales and the UK with expertise across the main public health domains.  

Iain said: “Public Health Wales is pleased to be supporting this work into an assessment of the breadth and scope of academic public health research in Wales. Supported by a Steering Group comprising of senior leaders from Wales and the UK, the project will lead on to the development of a co-produced vision for academic public health research in Wales, helping to address the health and wellbeing challenges facing our population.” 

Kieran Walshe, Director of Health and Care Research Wales said “Health and Care Research Wales is pleased to be involved along with stakeholders contributing to the development of a vision that builds on existing strengths in academic public health research in Wales and focuses on future evidence and research needs and capacity. We look forward to hearing from research stakeholders in Wales who play a vital role in the public health research landscape in Wales, to help inform the vision’s development.”