Research
Our role in research
Public Health Wales leads and supports research to improve health, reduce inequalities and strengthen public health services in Wales.
We work with partners across Wales and beyond to generate evidence that informs policy, practice and population health improvement.
We have also played a leading role in shaping academic public health research in Wales, including publishing the Academic Public Health Research report and helping to co-develop a shared vision for the future of the field in Wales.
To view our latest research highlights please see – Research Highlights Report 2024-2025.
Research is key to finding new and better ways of preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases and other health conditions – helping to save the NHS time and money as well as helping people in Wales live longer lives in good health. With funding from Health and Care Research Wales and other partners, the PHW Research & Development (R&D) department supports high-quality research within Public Health Wales.
Our research strategy and priorities
Our work is guided by the Public Health Wales Research and Evaluation Strategy (2023-2026), which focuses on four key areas:
- Building research excellence
- Developing capacity and capability
- Strengthening partnerships
- Increasing involvement and impact
Research is overseen across the organisation to ensure it supports Public Health Wales priorities and contributes to a healthier Wales.
We have published our Areas of Research and Evaluation Interest (2024), which set out our priority areas for collaboration and investment. We hope these will help researchers and partners see where Public Health Wales is most interested in developing new research, collaboration and funding opportunities.
Strategic partnerships and collaboration
We work with universities, NHS organisations, local authorities, communities, funders and industry to develop research that addresses major public health challenges. We also work across local, national and international networks to connect policy, practice, academic expertise and communities in ways that support prevention, innovation and impact. To discuss research or partnership opportunities, please email [email protected].
News, events and updates
Monthly newsletter
Our monthly newsletter shares research opportunities, events and publications. Contact the R&D Office to sign up or promote an item: [email protected]
R&E Conference
We host an annual Research and Development Conference every December to share learning, showcase results and support networking.
For upcoming events and funding opportunities, sign up to the R&E monthly newsletter.
Research support and governance
The R&D Office is Public Health Wales’ central research support service. It helps staff and partners develop, govern and deliver high-quality research and evaluation, including study set-up, approvals, funding applications, peer review and specialist advice.
If you are a member of staff or an external researcher planning a study involving Public Health Wales staff, services, data, premises or other resources, please contact the R&D team for advice on approvals, governance and study set-up.
Our R&D Office is supported by Health and Care Research Wales.
Evaluation and the evaluation team
Evaluation is an important part of Public Health Wales’ work to understand what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Our evaluation activity supports learning, improvement and impact across a wide range of public health programmes, with a strong focus on inequalities and equitable access to services and interventions.
The PHW evaluation team supports high-quality evaluation across the organisation by providing specialist advice, practical guidance and opportunities for shared learning. This includes support through evaluation standards, drop-in clinics, an Evaluation Community of Practice and the Evaluation Champions programme, helping staff to build confidence and strengthen evaluation from the early design stage of programmes and services. For more information, please contact [email protected].
Population health data linkage and the SAIL feasibility space
Public Health Wales is strengthening its role in population health data linkage to support research that can better understand patterns of health, inequalities and outcomes across Wales. This work helps create new opportunities for data-enabled research, bringing together public health expertise with secure access to linked population-level data.
Our population health data linkage team supports the development of this work, including through the feasibility space in the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank.
This helps Public Health Wales staff explore whether linked data can be used to answer important research questions, develop stronger studies and build capability in population data science.
Public involvement and impact
We are committed to research that is relevant, inclusive and able to make a difference. This includes strengthening public involvement, and improving how we share research impact on policy, services and population health.
Being part of research at Public Health Wales
Without research, many of the treatments and types of care we routinely receive today in the NHS wouldn’t be available.
Members of the public have an essential role to play – without people agreeing to take part in research studies these improved treatments and care wouldn’t exist. There are many ways people can take part in health and social care research, as part of the research study – for example receiving a new treatment, answering questionnaires, giving researchers permission to look medical notes, helping identify the most important research or helping design the way the research is carried out. For more information:
Research is a routine part of treatment and care in NHS Wales, please discuss what research studies are available to you in Public Health Wales with your clinician or visit Health and Care Research Wales to find out about research studies open across the UK, as well as the impact research has had across Wales.
Key documents and links
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