NISCHR Research Infrastructure for Wales Angela Martin Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodevelopmental disorders network (LDAN) Conference April

Today’s Research, Tomorrow’s Care NISCHR is the Welsh Government body that develops, in consultation with partners, strategy and policy for research in the NHS and social care in Wales. The aim of NISCHR is to support research in health and social care to improve the health and wealth of people in Wales Three main NISCHR workstreams: 1.Infrastructure 2.Programmes 3.NHS R&D NISCHR Research Infrastructure To increase the quality and quantity of health and social care research taking place in Wales Increase the competitiveness of the Welsh H&SC R&D community and its ability to generate increased grant income from both commercial and non-commercial sources

Why investing in research is so important……. Invest in research to enhance the knowledge and generate the sound evidence upon which improvements to healthcare in Wales are based Advances in our understanding of diseases, their causes; treatments; prevention Importance of research activity translating into public benefits Developing and retaining talented researchers and research support staff in Wales

The NISCHR Research Infrastructure for Wales The NISCHR Clinical Research Infrastructure contains the following elements: 17 Registered Research Groups (RRGs) 4 Infrastructure Support Groups (ISGs) 3 Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) and A Clinical Research Centre (CRC) The NISCHR Translational Research Initiatives include: 1 Biomedical Research Centre (The National Centre for Mental Health) 3 Biomedical Research Units Wales Gene Park Wales Cancer Bank

The NISCHR Research Infrastructure for Wales NISCHR Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) NWORTHBangor University SEWTUCardiff University WWORTHSwansea University WCTUCardiff University NISCHR Infrastructure Support Groups (ISGs) Health Economics (WHESS) Glamorgan University Medical Image Analysis and Visualisation (MIAV) Aberystwyth University Welsh Language (LLAIS) Bangor University Health Informatics (HIRU) Swansea University

The NISCHR Research Infrastructure for Wales The NISCHR Clinical Research Centre (CRC) Research Professional Network Maintain Clinical Research Portfolio (CRP) Training and development Patient, service-user and carer involvement (PPI)

NISCHR Clinical Research Infrastructure NISCHR Clinical Research Centre NISCHR Registered Research Groups NISCHR Infrastructure Support Groups NISCHR Trials Units

9 original funded research groups Children and Young People (CYPRN) Cardiff University Diabetes Research Network (DRN) Swansea University Emergency and Unscheduled Care (TRUST) Swansea University Wales Epilepsy Research Network (WERN)Swansea University Learning Disabilities and Autism (LDAN) Cardiff University Mental Health (MHRN-C) Swansea University Neurodegenerative Disorders (NEURODEM)Bangor University Older People and Ageing (OPAN)Swansea University Public Health Improvement (PHIRN)Cardiff University

8 additional research groups funded in 2010 Welsh Arthritis Research Network (WARN)Swansea University Cancer (WCTU) Cardiff University Cardiovascular Disease (CvRG)Cardiff University All Wales Kidney research Network (AWKRN)Cardiff University Lung Research Wales (LUNG)Swansea University Microbiology and Infection (MITReG) Cardiff University Wales School Primary Care Research (WSPCR) Cardiff University Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality (PSHQRG) Cardiff University

Registered Research Groups (RRGs) NISCHR funds a range of Registered Research Groups (RRGs) across topic and disease areas RRGs are all-Wales collaborations between academics, clinicians, patients, service users and others Core functions: Bringing groups of researchers together Generating research proposals in areas of significance and opportunity; Winning grant funding; Generating a growing research portfolio of high-quality, ‘people-focused’ research; Engaging and collaborating with UK-wide groups

Measures of success Research Proposals Grant Capture Portfolio Growth Publications Case Studies

Impact of the Research Infrastructure for Wales Portfolio 953 studies; 255 Welsh-led Estimated grant value >£106m RRG Activity Original 9 - from 94 projects (£21.6m) in 2007 to 673 projects (£180m) in 2012 Patient Recruitment: ~59,000 recruited (portfolio studies) in last 3yrs BRC/BRU activity: 29 new grants, total income ~£9.4m; 88 articles WGP/WCB activity: WGP ~£6m 66 articles; WCB 7140 patients recruited

Programmes NISCHR Programmes: NISCHR grant schemes (projects, fellowships, PhD studentships) UK Programmes and Partnerships (NIHR Programmes; funding consortia) Recent Successes: NISCHR grants: 144 awards since 2007 (value: £14.8m) NIHR Programmes: £5.5m invested/£11.5m return UK Centres of Research Excellence: DECIPHer, CIPHER All-Wales Academic Social Care Research Collaboration (ASCC) NISCHR Faculty Research for Patient and Public Benefit (RfPPB) Innovation and commercialisation

NISCHR All-Wales Academic Social Care Research Collaboration (ASCC) 3-year social care research capacity-building pilot scheme which aims to: build closer relationships between research and practice improve research skills, awareness and activity in the social care workforce facilitate evidence-based practice in social care Three universities currently involved: Bangor: use of routinely collected data in social care research Cardiff: targeted e-learning courses in research methods and statistics Swansea: Making Research Count initiative to improve ‘research mindedness’ in social care practice Capacity building Masters/PhD scheme in development for social care professionals

Contact details For further enquiries please contact: Angela Martin NISCHR Welsh Government Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NQ Tel: