Trials unit secures £3m in new funding
7 August 2015
The South East Wales Trials Unit (SEWTU) has been awarded £3m to continue undertaking health and social care research, and to support NHS-based investigators via its Research Design & Conduct Service.
SEWTU, based in the University’s College of Biomedical & Life Sciences, has been awarded renewed funding for the next three years from Health and Care Research Wales, part of Welsh Government.
Originally set up in 2006, the Unit has grown significantly and in the last five years has attracted £16.5m of external funding (from a total project value of £80m) into the University, which allowed for the conduct of 68 different studies and the publishing of 165 research papers over the same period.
Amongst the Unit’s key aims are to improve the number and quality of trials (and other well designed studies) in health and social care led by Welsh investigators and to provide support and advice to staff working in health and social care to develop high quality research proposals.
SEWTU has established an international reputation for research into infections, behaviour change, and children and young people. Newer areas of growth now include research into medical devices and the older person.
Dr Michael Robling, Director of SEWTU, said: “Recommissioning the Unit for a further three years is a statement of confidence and value to patients and the public in the work that we do.
“We could not have achieved the level of activity and quality without the tremendous support offered to us by the Welsh Government.”
Health and Care Research Wales, formerly the National Institute for Social Care and Health Research, is a national, multi-faceted, virtual organisation funded and overseen by the Welsh Government's Division for Social Care and Health Research.