Optimising academic public health research 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.