@ResearchWales
Page 12
Meet our new senior research leaders and specialty leads
Page 09
Page 14
Let’s talk research
Getting your research noticed
Promoting health and care research to the
Tips to help you think creatively about
public in an engaging and interactive way
sharing your research
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
1
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
The magazine to showcase health and social care research in Wales
Contents 2
PAG E 1 2
New senior research leaders and specialty leads announced
PAG E 0 9
Let’s talk research
PAG E 1 6
PAGE 1 4
Calendar of events
Getting your research noticed
PAG E 0 3
PAGE 0 4
Foreword
News
Carys Thomas & Michael Bowdery, joint
Research news from across Wales
interim directors, Health and Care Research Wales
PAG E 0 9
PAGE 1 2
Let’s talk research
New senior research leaders and specialty leads announced
Bringing research to life for the public
Your guide to our senior research leaders and
through personal stories and experiences
specialty leads
PAG E 1 4
PAGE 1 6
Getting your research noticed
Calendar of events
Discover top communication tips to help you share your research
Save the date: key research and development events
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
Foreword W
elcome to Issue 6 of
It was pleasing to see health and social care
Social Care Research Awards, Research for
@ResearchWales. This issue
research, and the work of Health and Care
Patient and Public Benefit grants and Health
celebrates and highlights the successful
Research Wales, featuring prominently in the
Research Fellowships all due in the coming
partnerships and collaborations our Health
Chief Medical Officer’s annual report, which
months.
and Care Research Wales infrastructure is
was published in May. It was good to see
developing at national, UK and international
Dr Frank Atherton recognising how crucial
Finally, as we look to ensure members of
levels.
research is in safeguarding and improving
the public are central to all health and
the future health of the nation.
social care research in Wales, this is a good opportunity to highlight two upcoming
Partnership and collaboration is a key theme for us for 2019 as we look to celebrate
Health and Care Research Wales looks
effective working with others in all its guises
forward to playing a significant role this year
and in its various forms. This includes activity
in supporting activities as part of Welsh
The Let’s talk research events will be a
at a strategic level, where we continue to
Government’s precision medicine statement
chance for members of the public to meet
work closely with a wide range of partners
of intent, including the developments
with researchers and find out more about the
including the other UK government health
relating to advanced therapies to benefit
research taking place every day in Wales and
departments, research councils, charities,
patients in the future.
how they can be part of it (see page 9).
level, we continue to work with others to
We’re entering a busy period as we gear up
By engaging with more people in Wales,
provide joint funding opportunities. The
to the 2020 strategy and we will be reaching
we can demonstrate how our excellent
UK Prevention Research Partnership, for
out to you, our research community, to
health and social care research makes a real
example, has just made its first set of awards
support that work. Of course, lots of work is
difference to health and wellbeing.
and new opportunities are in the offing with
already underway that will help shape the
third sector research funders like Fight for
next five years, with a research development
We hope you enjoy reading this issue of the
Sight and the Scar Free Foundation.
infrastructure call currently live (bids are
magazine and discovering more about the
being assessed as we write), and increasing
great work of the research community in
It’s an exciting time as we welcome a new
consideration being given to value-based
Wales.
cohort of senior research leaders who will
healthcare as a means of strengthening the
help us shape the future of Health and
support and delivery infrastructure.
public engagement events being held in July.
the public and industry. At the programme
Care Research Wales, and a new group of
Carys Thomas & Michael Bowdery
specialty leads who are ready to help drive
Look out too for the customary range of
up research participation opportunities for
Health and Care Research Wales schemes,
Joint interim directors, Health and Care
people in Wales (see page 12).
with calls for Clinical Research Time Awards,
Research Wales
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
3
CEN TR E FO R T R IAL S R ES EARCH
£16 million European collaboration aims to improve quality of life for people with neurodegenerative diseases Researchers in the Centre for Trials Research
Professor Busse said: “This project joins our
(CTR) at Cardiff University are exploring how
growing portfolio of research in the area of
digital technologies, such as wearable fitness
Huntington’s disease, working closely with
trackers, can be used to support people with
patients and members of the public, and
Huntington’s disease.
is an important step with the potential to contribute significantly to our knowledge
As part of a £16 million collaboration to
and treatment of Huntington’s disease, and
address the health and social care of people
the growing problem of dementia.”
News
with diseases of the brain, Professor Monica Busse, director for Mind, Brain, Neuroscience
Health and Care Research Wales, along
Trials at CTR, will lead an international
with Department of Health and Social Care
team who will assess how sleep, nutrition
England, Alzheimer’s Society and Health and
and physical activity impact Huntington’s
Social Care Northern Ireland, has committed
disease. The Multi-Domain Lifestyle Targets
£2.15 million to the Joint Programme –
for Improving ProgNOsis (DOMINO HD)
Neurodegenerative Disease (JPND) funding
research team will also look at developing
awards which fund this new research. JPND is
new ways to help people manage symptoms.
the largest global research initiative aimed at tackling the challenges of neurodegenerative
Huntington’s disease is an inherited
diseases.
neurological condition that causes difficulties with movement and coordination. It also
The team in Wales will lead a consortium
causes cognitive impairment that gets worse
across Europe which includes Ireland, Spain,
over time. There are currently no treatments
Poland, Germany and Switzerland.
for the condition.
H EA LT H AND CAR E R ES EARCH WA LES FEL LOW
diversity can bring to research as well as
Dr Emma Yhnell helps bring equality and diversity to research
“I am delighted to have been voted into this
individuals:
role by the BNA membership. Enabling all areas of society to contribute to research and feel appreciated and valued for doing so is vital.”
Health and Care Research Wales research fellow Dr Emma Yhnell has been elected Equal Opportunities and Diversity Representative on the British Neuroscience
Research news from across Wales
Association (BNA) Committee. Dr Yhnell, who works in the Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute at Cardiff University, has worked with patient groups as well as individuals who have felt isolated or under-represented, and said she is aware of the benefits that equality and
4
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
S WA N S E A BAY U NIVER S IT Y H EALT H BOAR D & S P ECIALT Y L EAD
Pioneering emergency research centre opens in Morriston Hospital Wales’ first Centre for Emergency Medicine Research opened earlier this year and is set to further develop collaborations with worldleading international centres in emergency medicine research. This launch is the result of a partnership of Swansea Bay University Health Board and Swansea University, with the health board’s
SPE C IA LT Y L E A D
research and development department providing governance support.
‘Fantastic progress’ in stroke research in Wales
It will provide a home for the development of groundbreaking research into emergency medicine, and builds on years of cuttingedge work in emergency, biomedical,
Wales is now recruiting three times as many patients every year into stroke studies than it was in 2016, thanks to a network of stroke
epidemiological and clinical research. The centre has opened as part of a
research champions.
into a leading academic centre in this area. The programme is led by Professor Adrian Evans, with Health and Care Research Wales specialty lead Dr Ceri Battle as its director of epidemiology. As well as the opening of the centre, the programme has also seen exchanges of young academics between world-leading centres, and has attracted millions of pounds in research funding from several prestigious granting bodies. Professor Evans said: “Getting to where we are now is only the first step and a lot of hard work will be required to facilitate and maintain its growth for the future. “There are already plans to appoint further posts in academic emergency medicine and this shows the commitment of the health board and the university to its future development.”
individual registered clinical trials units to support their public involvement and
The champions – who are based at health
engagement, there has been no formal
boards across Wales – have played a major
assessment of these materials and no way of
part in driving up recruitment from an
sharing them across the Network.
average of 150 people per year to 540 people in the last year.
This work package (one of three funded by UKCRC for PPI&E work) will focus on
“This is a substantial change,” commented
assessing the availability and quality of
Jonathan Hewitt, Health and Care Research
existing PPI&E resources for both the public
Wales speciality lead for stroke. “It has
and researchers that are specific to clinical
moved Wales from the lowest recruiting
S WA N S EA T R IAL S U NIT
region in the UK, per capita, to one of the highest.” Two Cochrane fellowships in stroke research have also been established in Wales, in collaboration with colleagues in Scotland, to support researchers in the early stages of their career. “We have many other stroke studies in set up and the research pipeline looks promising,” added Jonathan.
Taking a lead in public involvement
trials. The aim is to provide a repository of high quality information accessible to the public and researchers. Dr Thorne said: “Patient and public
Dr Kym Thorne, Swansea Trials Unit senior
involvement is an important part of so
trial manager, has been appointed as lead of
many aspects of research such as the study
a work package that will support patient and
design, patient engagement and recruitment,
public involvement and engagement (PPI&E)
analysis and dissemination of results. This
across the UK Clinical Research Collaboration
work package will bring useful resources
(UKCRC) Registered Clinical Trials Unit
together in a central location, providing easy
Network.
access for researchers across the Registered Clinical Trials Units Network and promoting
“Our challenge now is to maintain the fantastic progress that we have made, expand further and encourage more of our own chief investigators to come through with their own studies.”
programme to develop Swansea, and Wales,
It has been set up in response to
sharing of good practice to support patient
recommendations made in a report by
and public involvement and engagement.”
the UKCRC Registered Clinical Trials Unit Network Patient and Public Involvement
The project is being led by Dr Heather Bagley
and Engagement Task and Finish Group,
based at Liverpool Clinical Trials Research
which found that although there are already
Centre.
a number of resources being used in the
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
5
As well as a presence on Twitter and in the media, bilingual lobster signs were installed on three Welsh beaches to reinforce the message. Inspiration for the signs began with Singleton Hospital dermatology consultant Avad Mughal’s summer holiday. “While I was on holiday in west Wales last summer I was looking out at people on the beach and realised they were my future workload. What could I do to make it smaller?” he said. “We have signs telling people not to bring dogs on beaches or to pick up litter so why not have one reminding them to put on sun
SWA N SE A T RI A L S UNI T
Cymru, in collaboration with Swansea Trials Unit, aimed to do just that, with the
How a cartoon lobster helped promote sun protection on Welsh beaches Wales has among the highest rates of skin
help of a cartoon lobster. The campaign #DontBeALobster set out to encourage the public to be safe in the sun with simple messages: protect yourself from the sun even on Welsh beaches, wear sunblock, big hats, put on a t-shirt, don’t burn in the sun. Don’t be a lobster. To promote the campaign the red dragon
cancer in the UK each year and with skin
on the Welsh flag was replaced with a
cancer rates in Wales increasing by 63% over 10 years, it’s clear that it’s time to take action.
cartoon lobster and the flags were flown in many well-known Welsh locations including castles, the Severn Bridge and the
block?” The campaign had fantastic engagement, with an estimated international reach of 44 million people via social, internet and print media. Google Trends also showed an increase in people in Wales searching for ‘skin cancer’, ‘skin care’ and ‘sun cream’. Skin Care Cymru is now working together with members of Swansea Trials Unit, PRIME Centre Wales and Swansea Bay University Health Board to develop research proposals to look at changes in awareness and behaviour as a result of the campaign.
Millennium Centre.
An innovative campaign by Skin Care
WELSH HE A LT H E CO N O M IC S U P P O RT S ERV ICE A recent economic evaluation of a new rapid
To address this unmet need, Swansea
cancer diagnosis centre has shown it to be
Bay University Health Board and Cwm
less costly and more effective compared to
Taf Morgannwg University Health Board,
usual care.
in collaboration with the Welsh Cancer Network, established two rapid diagnosis
Researchers at the Welsh Health Economic
centres. In the Swansea Bay University
Support Service (WHESS) collaborated
Health Board Centre, patients with vague
with Cancer Research UK and Swansea
symptoms are seen within five days and
Bay University Health Board (SBUHB) to
leave either with a cancer diagnosis or
undertake the evaluation of SBUHB’s
further investigations booked.
investment into its rapid diagnosis centre. WHESS evaluated economic data from the
Rapid cancer diagnosis centres found to be ‘excellent’ value for money
The earlier cancer can be diagnosed, the
first year of the Swansea Bay University
better. Diagnosis at a more advanced stage
Health Board rapid cancer diagnosis centre
not only results in worse patient outcomes,
and found it represents excellent value for
but also increased health care costs. 50%
money for the health board. As a result,
of potential cancer patients in the UK do
Swansea Bay University Health Board has
not present a ‘red flag symptom’, which can
now implemented a permanent centre,
lead to an urgent referral, and previously no
leading the way in the course of cancer
pathway existed in Wales for patients with
diagnosis in Wales.
vague symptoms to have cancer ruled out.
6
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
WA LES K I D NE Y RE S E ARCH U N IT
There’s no place like home – how encouraging home kidney therapies could improve lives in Wales Chronic kidney disease affects around 15% of the world population, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. With the rapid increase in diabetes, the number of patients developing kidney failure is likely to increase over the next decade, putting pressure on NHS services. Patients with advanced kidney failure can
patients’ treatment choices, the ‘Dialysis
across Wales, especially in rural communities
choose from a number of different treatment
Options and Choices’ study team at the
and areas of deprivation.
options, including transplant, supportive
Wales Kidney Research Unit is collecting data
care and haemodialysis (to filter waste in
from renal data sets and the SAIL databank,
Study lead, Dr Gareth Roberts, consultant
their blood) at home or at a specialist unit.
as well as interviewing people with kidney
nephrologist, Cardiff and Vale University
Unit based haemodialysis is associated with
disease, their family members and carers.
Health Board said:
the lowest quality of life for patients, higher
The team wants to learn more about people’s
levels of risk and higher treatment costs,
understanding of the available treatment
“Learning from people’s experiences and
yet the majority of patients in Wales are
options, what they value most when making
opinions will help in understanding what
still choosing to receive haemodialysis at
tough decisions and the support networks
is most important to people when making
specialist units rather than at home.
available to them.
decisions about kidney treatment.
Continuing to expand unit based
The team expects immediate outcomes
“This will inform future education
haemodialysis is not a sustainable option for
of the study to support a redesign of the
programmes in Wales, help others make the
the NHS and for many patients home therapy
current education programme across Wales,
right treatment decision for them and their
may be more appropriate.
to help support more patients and carers
family and make best use of NHS resources.”
to get their preferred treatment choice, and To better understand what influences
potentially improve access to home therapies
The first robust evaluation of the soft opt-out organ donation system in Wales, undertaken by Wales Kidney Research Unit researchers and other key stakeholders across Wales, has been published in the BMJ. You can read more about the study in Issue 1 of @ResearchWales.
UK LOC A L I NF O RM AT IO N PACK UPDATE
New UK-wide documents introduced for setting up studies A UK Local Information Pack was introduced
Guidance on the use of the UK Local
on 5 June to support and standardise the
Information Pack has been published on
process of setting up NHS/Health and Social
the Site Specific page of IRAS Help to help
Care research in the UK.
applicants with the changes.
The UK Local Information Pack is the set of
Information for commercial sponsors and
documents organisations use to formally
contract research organisations can be found
start preparing to deliver a study.
on the Health and Care Research Wales website.
Researchers can now benefit from a consistent package to support study set-up and delivery across the UK.
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
7
NATION A L C E NT RE F O R P O P U LAT IO N H E A LTH A ND W E L L BEIN G R ES EA RCH
New palliative care model could transform services for young people Turning 18 years old is usually a time for celebration, but for thousands of young people in the UK who are living with lifelimiting or life-threatening diseases, making the transition from children’s to adult’s palliative care between ages 16 and 18 can cause feelings of confusion, anger and alienation. Palliative care patient Emma knows this first hand, and although her transition into adult care was relatively smooth, she still felt frightened, alone and that staff didn’t know how to care for her. Despite two decades of research and initiatives, young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions still find
New research, led by Professor Jane Noyes
Emma said: “There are many issues when you
from the National Centre for Population
reach 18 and still need respite care. There
Health and Wellbeing Research and
are no facilities that are suitable for young
funded by Together for Short Lives, has
adults with very different medical conditions
recommended a new model of care that
… whatever our conditions we deserve the
could change that experience for thousands
same level of respite care that we have as a
of young people.
child.”
The research team studied 77 interviews
The core elements of the new model
with children and young people, their
promote the continuity of aspects of
families and professionals about their
palliative care such as health promotion,
experiences of palliative care, collected in
condition-specific planning and care
previous studies.
pathways, and psychological support. The team believes that this model can be
Childhood experiences of care shape
achieved in practice by having specific 16
expectations of adult services and the study
to 25 year old transition services, greater
found six areas where conflicting realities
engagement with relevant support groups,
existed between children’s and adult’s
and using digital technologies and social
services, which explains why young people
media to create communities of support for
and their families experience a gulf between
young people with rare conditions in adult
the two. These included being treated as an
services.
adult and the oldest patient in children’s services compared with being treated as
The findings and recommendations from
a child and the youngest patient in adult
their study provide new insights and
services, and being relatively one of many
guidance that can be used to bring about
with the condition in children’s services to
changes in practice, help target care
being one of very few with the condition in
more effectively and ultimately lead to a
adult services.
significantly better service and quality of life for patients like Emma and their families.
transition unsatisfactory.
HEA LTH A ND C A RE RES EA RCH WA LES F U N D IN G
Arts programme gives dementia carers new skills and confidence Activities like poetry, film and music can help care home staff to think more creatively when they’re caring for residents with dementia, new research has found. Care staff from 14 care homes in Flintshire took part in an 18-month study – funded by Health and Care Research Wales and the Wellcome Trust – which tested an arts-
strengthened their understanding of their
through the arts can also enhance the skills
based staff development programme called
residents, including the importance of non-
of dementia care staff and enable them
Creative Conversations.
verbal communication. It also gave them the
to develop a deeper understanding of the
confidence to try more creative approaches
residents they care for.”
to care.
The programme uses creative activities to
The research project was carried out in
increase awareness of the possibilities within dementia care. It also aims to provide staff
Dr Katherine Algar-Skaife, who led the
partnership between Bangor University’s
with practical communication skills, which
research, said:
Dementia Services Development Centre Wales (the research group from Ageing &
they can use to develop caring relationships with residents. Staff who took part in the study found
“The arts are increasingly recognised as
Dementia @ Bangor in the School of Health
important and beneficial activities for people
Sciences), Dementia Positive, TenFiveTen
living with dementia.
Consultancy and Flintshire County Council Social Services.
the approach of learning through the arts “In this project we have shown that learning
8
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
DIAB ETE S RE S E A RC H U N IT CY M R U
Welsh researchers partner with elite cyclists to study type 1 diabetes Diabetes Research Unit Cymru (DRU Cymru) researchers have been monitoring the gruelling demands endured by a unique group of elite cyclists in their drive to find out more about diabetes. Team Novo Nordisk is the world’s only professional cycling team made up of riders with type 1 diabetes. Led by Dr Richard Bracken, DRU Cymru lead for Exercise
seven hours in the saddle every day at a 10-
Nutritional, glucose and physiological data
Physiology and Lifestyle, the research team
day training camp.
was collected during the team’s intensive training and exhaustive cycle testing
travelled to Spain to monitor the cyclists and how their bodies coped with spending up to
The researchers now plan to use the results
protocols.
of the study to help other people with diabetes who want to be more physically
“We want to uncover clues which might give
active.
the healthcare community more confidence when it comes to encouraging the wider
Dr Bracken explained: “Team Novo Nordisk
type 1 diabetes community to do physical
compete all over the world and promote a
activity,” said Dr Bracken.
can-do attitude to having type 1 diabetes. The findings will now play an important role “We wanted to find out more about the
in building a better understanding of the
bespoke physiology of these elite athletes
condition and they are set to be published in
to better understand their responses to
leading diabetes science journals.
extreme exercise and the strategies they use – things like food intake, sleep and medication adjustments.”
Free entry Family friendly stands Activity zone for children Talks celebrating research
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
9
WALES S C H O O L F O R S O CIA L CA R E R ES EA RCH & CENT R E FO R AGEING AND DEM ENT IA R ES EARCH
ENRICH Cymru network expands to enable more research
growing interest in mid Wales.”
potential interests and leads. Further to this, being able to accompany ENRICH Cymru
Care homes across Wales are currently
at conferences, I have gained invaluable
taking part in a number of ongoing research
networking opportunities. Without the help
projects, including an evaluation of the
of the ENRICH Cymru network I don’t believe
impact of intergenerational activities on
my research would be where it is now.”
residents, staff and visitors. A growing network of ‘research ready’ care homes across Wales is helping researchers to carry out key social care studies.
Health and Care Research Wales is providing The study is being led by PhD student Kate
additional resources over the next year to
Howson who describes ENRICH Cymru as “a
further develop the ENRICH Cymru network,
crucial link”.
to extend its reach across care homes in Wales and to develop a sustainable model
The Enabling Research in Care Homes
“ENRICH Cymru has enabled me to
network (ENRICH Cymru) – co-hosted by
for the future.
disseminate my research advert on various
the Wales School for Social Care Research and the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research at Swansea University – was launched in 2018.
platforms resulting in numerous enquiries
The Health and Care Research Wales
and care homes keen to be involved with the
‘Research Aware’ training developed
research,” added Kate.
specifically for care homes, is also being rolled out across care homes within the
The network aims to encourage and enable more research to take place in care homes, a
“Stephanie Watts has kept in regular
ENRICH Cymru network.
contact, liaising and informing me of
sector where research isn’t as well developed as other healthcare settings. “The network promotes the exchange of research ideas and knowledge, and fosters the co-creation of research relevant to the current issues in the care home sector,” said Stephanie Watts, ENRICH Cymru coordinator. “Awareness of and interest in the network is expanding rapidly. There are 20 homes registered across north and south Wales, with
Stephanie Watts enrols The Old Vicarage Nursing Home in Sketty
R& D FO RUM 2019
Shining a light on Health and Care Research Wales at UK conference
joint interim director of Health and Care Research Wales, and Dr Fiona Verity, director of the Wales School for Social Care Research, offered a Welsh perspective on this
This year’s NHS Research and Development (R&D) Forum conference, held at the Hilton Metropole hotel in Brighton in May, saw exhibition stand, posters and speakers from across the Health and Care Research Wales support and delivery service.
sessions, the conference brought together support and delivery research teams from across the UK to meet, learn and share their experiences of working in research. One session, focused on supporting social care research, was chaired by Carys Thomas,
10
delegate’s choice poster award for the third year running. Lynette Lane, senior training and development manager at Health and
Dr Nicola Williams, national director of
poster about the innovative Foundation in
support and delivery at Health and Care Research Wales offered an invaluable chair of the programme group. Dr Williams
Care Research Wales, created the winning Research Practice training course run by the training team at the Support and Delivery Centre.
commented:
Lynette said: “I didn’t want my poster to be a
“The NHS R&D Forum conference continues
really stop and take notice.
to grow as increasing numbers of our
With a number of workshops and plenary
display at the event, with Wales winning the
discussion as part of a panel of experts.
input into the development of the event as
research in Wales highlighted through an
Eight posters from Wales were chosen for
professional workforce strive to make a difference to how research is supported and delivered. I’m always impressed by how Wales is continuing to lead the way in developing good practice, influencing policy and sharing resources.”
‘walk on past’ type poster, I wanted people to
“There was a lot of planning and creativity involved but essentially I took time to work out how to be different and how to give my poster something others maybe wouldn’t have. The information on our Foundation in Research Practice course was important and different compared to other UK training, and
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
PR IME C E NT RE WA L E S
It’s a PRIME time to improve urgent eye care If you’ve got an eye problem where would you go for help? Just over half of people in Wales said they would go to their GP, and the number of people attending A&E for eye problems is increasing. This is putting a strain on these services that often don’t have the appropriate eye examination equipment. Almost a third of eye issues could be resolved by simply popping in to your local opticians or pharmacy, and a new collaborative public health study could help to ease the pressure on these services by describing the frequency and burden of unsafe urgent eye care, and estimating its cost. The study, funded by Cardiff University
of eye care services. Based in the school of
Research Wales primary care specialty lead
Optometry and Vision Sciences (OPTOM), in
and patient safety research lead for PRIME
collaboration with the Schools of Medicine
Centre Wales, said: “The patient safety (PISA)
and Pharmacy, the design of the study has
group at PRIME Centre has extensively
benefitted from the support provided by
investigated ‘what’s unsafe general
PRIME Centre Wales to access health services
practice?’ and is now working in an era of
research expertise in primary and emergency
making recommendations and designing
care. The PRIME Centre Wales Service
interventions to improve the safety of
Users for Primary and Emergency care
primary care systems.
Research (SUPER) group is providing public
in partnership with Cwm Taf Morgannwg
involvement support throughout the study.
University Health Board and supported by the Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Care Research (PRIME Centre Wales), will use questionnaires and interviews, alongside Wales-wide data, to discover how much urgent eye care could be provided by opticians and pharmacies. The team
“Our collaboration with OPTOM will create a pipeline of principal investigators in
Together, the centre and the research team
community optometry with expertise to
are working to define patient safety in eye
investigate unsafe healthcare and design
care by investigating which eye conditions
solutions to improve future services in health
are prone to unsafe mismanagement, harmful
boards across Wales, as well as generate
delays in intervention, or misdiagnosis.
internationally-leading methodological advances and research to extend the patient
hope this will unburden A&E and GP
Dr Andrew Carson-Stevens, Health and Care
services and improve patient experiences
so I wanted people to stop and read about it.
in a record breaking 24 seconds, winning her
“My poster centrepiece was a head full
the top spot on our leaderboard.
safety enquiry to eye health.”
of metal cogs lit up with tiny lights, representing thought processes and new
The NHS R&D Forum hosts the event,
ideas. The concept was certainly unlike
in association with the Health Research
any others and people stopped to read the
Authority and attracts over 600 delegates,
information rather than just walking on by. I
including policy leads from the Department
felt I accomplished my goal, but winning the
of Health, NHS England, NIHR, with charities,
Delegate Choice Award proved it is good to
academic and industry partners attending
be different and to stand out.”
too.
Health and Care Research Wales’ exhibition
The NHS R&D Forum is a non-profit
stand also proved a great success, with
professional network and community of
Support and Delivery Centre staff discussing
practice for the health and care research
the one Wales approach to research set-up,
management, support and leadership
delivery and sharing.
workforce across the UK. The NHS R&D Forum community comprises primarily of
Delegates also took part in our ‘One Wales…
research managers, directors, support and
it’s marble-ous!’ game, with the aim of
clinical delivery staff.
building a marble run with four inputs and
The 2020 event will be held in Newcastle -
one output in the fastest time. Claire Symms
Health and Care Research Wales are proud to
keep checking our events pages for updates
from NHS South Norfolk CCG completed it
be a Gold Sponsor for this event.
when more details are released.
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
11
F E AT URED
New senior research leaders and specialty leads announced Our new Health and Care Research Wales senior research leaders and specialty leads have been announced – and they’re all ready to champion the excellent research taking place in Wales.
Wales strategy. They’ll also play a leading
“networks” to be able to “expand the number
role in raising the profile of health and social
of commercial and non-commercial trials”
care research in Wales on a national and
taking place in Wales.
T
hey’ve fought off tough competition to claim the top roles, which they are
international level. Our 2016 senior research leaders and Our specialty leads will build networks of
specialty leads have done an excellent
principal investigators within their specialty
job over the last three years and we would
and support the uptake of studies in Wales,
like to thank them for their time and the
as well as engaging with UK counterparts.
contribution they have made.
Their ambitions range from “giving
We are excited to welcome our new group
people living with diabetes the maximum
of top researchers and we look forward to
opportunity to receive novel therapies” to
working with them.
becoming “a leading nation in pre-hospital
taking on for the next three years.
emergency medicine and emergency
Click on their photos to find out more about them.
Our senior research leaders have some big
medicine research”. There are also plans
tasks ahead including helping to develop the
for “strong cross-border and international
next phase of the Health and Care Research
collaborations” as well as specialty
Senior research leaders
Professor Jon Bisson
Professor Vanessa Burholt
Professor Colin Dayan
Professor Kerenza Hood
Professor Dyfrig Hughes
Professor Ian Jones
Professor Shantini Paranjothy
Professor Andrew Sewell
Professor Helen Snooks
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Professor Adrian Edwards
Professor William Gray
Professor Ronan Lyons Professor Paul Morgan
Professor Rhiannon Tudor Edwards
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
Professor John Williams CBE
Specialty leads
Dr Matthew Morgan - critical care
Dr Chin Lye Ch’ng - hepatology
Dr Kate Button - musculoskeletal disorders
Professor Julia Sanders - reproductive health and childbirth
Dr Tamas Szakmany - anaesthesia, peri-operative medicine and pain management
Dr Robert Jones - cancer
Dr Richard Anderson - cardiovascular disease
Dr Philip Connor - children
Dr John Ingram - dermatology
Professor Stephen Bain - diabetes
Dr Sunil Dolwani - gastroenterology
Dr Raza Alikhan - haematology
Dr Ceri Battle - injuries and emergencies (shared role)
Nigel Rees - injuries and emergencies (shared role)
Professor Jon Bisson - mental health
Dr Aled Rees - metabolic and endocrine disorder
Dr Khalid Hamandi - neurology
Professor Keir Lewis - respiratory
Professor Ivor Chestnutt - oral and dental health
Dr Andrew CarsonStevens - primary care
Dr Sian Griffin - renal
Dr Jonathan Hewitt - stroke
Dr Manju Krishnan - stroke (deputy)
Professor Iain Whitaker - surgery
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
13
FE AT U RED
Getting your research noticed The communications team at Health and Care Research Wales often receives questions from researchers about how to best publicise their work.
w
e are living in a world of information overload. There are over 1.8 billion
websites out there and on average 571 new ones are created every minute. Therefore, we need to share information about research in ways that are as easily accessible as possible. So how do researchers get their research
your research, think about it upfront and
as well as for dissemination at the end. These
throughout every stage of the research
can take the shape of designated websites,
process. Also, see the sharing of information
webpages and written communications such
as integral to the project lifecycle from
as newsletters, social media handles, events
developing a research idea, to recruiting
and more. These methods don’t replace more
participants through to disseminating the
traditional methods which are also very
research findings at the end. After all, early
important, but add to them and help to reach
and ongoing awareness of your study can
a wider audience.
help support recruitment and make it easier to engage people with the findings later on. “How and where you share your research can also make a huge difference in reaching the people you want to. There are now a variety of channels that can be used including social media and easily accessible approaches on
noticed?
websites/webpages such as blogs, podcasts, videos and infographics.
Cheryl Lee, our communications manager, shares her top tips and ideas on how researchers can publicise information about their research, to reach a wider audience.
“The reach of these channels extends beyond traditional methods and they have many
time to spread the word about what you’ve discovered. But what if you tried things a bit differently?
innovatively about when, where and how you share your research, as well as who you share it with, to achieve maximum impact. If research is going to have real-world impact then it must reach policy makers and
style. Being able to blog about your research in plain, clear language will help you share your research with a wider, more general audience. Blogging is a great aid to discoverability.
they can generate greater interaction and
Twitter is an online news and social
collaboration, boost influence, for example,
networking service, with around 321 million
with funders, and raise the profile of research
active users. You can use Twitter to easily
on a larger scale.
and quickly share your research with a large
“It’s likely that you are doing lots of these
interact with other users to tell your research
things already. But if you do need a bit of
story.
help and inspiration then here are some of my top tips and ideas to share with you.”
Communications plan
Facebook is an online social media and
Setting up communications for your study is
monthly active users and it holds the key to
essential for informing stakeholders and the
the largest and most diverse social media
public about the progress of your research,
audience in the world. Share your research
practitioners, as well as wider audiences,
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individual and written in a conversational
number of people. Follow, retweet and
“It is sometimes helpful to think more
“Rather than waiting until the end of
A blog is a website or webpage run by an
benefits. As well as rapid dissemination,
“You’ve finished your research and now it’s
including members of the public.
Blogging
networking service with around 2.3 billion
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
through public pages, or with specific communities through private groups.
LinkedIn is specifically designed for business
Infographics
and professionals. Research involves collaboration and a LinkedIn profile is
Infographics are visual representations of
another great way to network and share
information, data or knowledge intended
ideas.
to represent information quickly and
clearly. Today people are overloaded with information, so getting your message out there requires more than just plain text.
Reddit is a social news website that has
Infographics are a great way of helping
become a major driver of traffic to blog
people to understand lots of complex
posts, videos, images and news articles.
information.
“How and where you share your research can also make a huge difference in reaching the people you want to.”
The platform offers a great opportunity for
For more tips about sharing your research, through social media, events, blogging and more, contact the communications team.
Podcasts
researchers to engage with a 250 million strong user base, in specific subsections relevant to topic.
A podcast is a digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device. Podcasts have rocketed in popularity over the past ten years – people are spending more time than ever with their headphones on, the perfect opportunity to communicate to them with
Research funders’ requirements All research funders expect researchers to effectively disseminate their research
their full attention.
findings and you will probably have to commit to publishing your work at the end
Videos
of the grant funding process. However, requirements and expectations differ
Audiences want to have information at their
between research funders and research
fingertips that is brief and easy to absorb,
funding schemes. You should always check
and videos are a great way to communicate
your terms and conditions and your funder’s
complicated concepts in a clear and
expectations when planning to publicise and
interesting way. You can create, edit and
disseminate your work.
Cheryl Lee
upload your video straight from your
Communications manager, Health and Care
smartphone.
Research Wales
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
15
Calendar To find out more about any of these events, visit the Health and Care Research Wales events calendar.
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Swansea Bay Health Day
MediWales Connects
27 June Institute of Life Science 1, Singleton Park, Swansea
02 July Great Hall, Swansea University
With expert talks, workshops, a science
Connecting you with NHS patient-facing
park tour, exhibition space and networking
clinicians, innovation leads, community
opportunities, the Swansea Bay Health Day
health, government and policy makers.
2019 will showcase the best offerings from across the life science sector in south west Wales.
Welsh Stroke Conference
Let’s talk research
03 - 04 July Cardiff Metropolitan University
06 July Storiel, Bangor
The Welsh Stroke Conference is one of the
Health and Care Research Wales is holding
biggest multidisciplinary events in Wales
two free festivals this summer to engage
and is a significant fixture in the educational
the people of Wales with the research
calendar for stroke in the UK. The conference
happening on their doorstep – and to help
was started in 2002 and has grown from
them discover their role in health and care
strength to strength each year.
research.
Health Services Research Summer School
Let’s talk research
08 - 12 July Bangor University
27 July National Museum Cardiff
A series of masterclasses will provide you
Health and Care Research Wales is holding
with the opportunity to engage with and
two free festivals this summer to engage
learn from research leads and/or their team
the people of Wales with the research
members in specialist areas related to
happening on their doorstep – and to help
healthcare research.
them discover their role in health and care research.
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
UKCRF Network Annual Conference
Cardiff Research Education Forum 2019
DECIPHer: Process Evaluation of Complex Interventions
27 - 28 July East Midlands Conference Centre
14 August University Hospital Llandough
11 September Glamorgan Building, Cathays Park, Cardiff
The UKCRF Network Annual Conference gives attendees an opportunity to meet colleagues and discuss topical issues regarding best practice in Clinical Research Facility (CRF) operations.
This is a drop in session where research training information and resources will be shared.
The aim of this one-day course is to provide participants with a working knowledge of the theory and practice of process evaluation of complex interventions.
National Social Care Conference
Pharmacoeconomics short course
Wales Women in STEM: Inaugural Symposium
11 - 12 September Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff
12 - 13 September The Management Centre, Bangor University
6 September National Museum Cardiff & National Slate Museum, Llanberis
This unique conference experience is the
This course offers a comprehensive overview
This event will celebrate the inauguration
foremost showcasing and networking
of pharmacoeconomic evaluation and health
of the Wales Women in STEM network, and
opportunity for the social care sector in
technology assessment methods for those
will look to the future for women in science,
Wales.
working within the NHS or with an interest
technology, engineering and maths.
about how these decisions are made.
Health and Care Research Wales Conference
Welsh Public Health Conference
NCRI cancer conference
03 October Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
17 - 18 October International Convention Centre, Newport
3 - 5 November Scottish Event Campus, Glasgow
Theme: partnership and collaboration.
Theme: building a healthier Wales
The conference provides a platform for
Register your interest to attend.
researchers, clinicians, people affected by cancer and industry representatives to come together to discuss, present and showcase high-quality research.
Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019
17
As featured on page 10
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Health and Care Research Wales Magazine - Issue 06 - June 2019