Brain scans: six Swansea University researchers have been awarded funding by Health and Care Research Wales, to investigate topics ranging from sun safety policies in primary schools to the impact of COVID-19 on people with epilepsy.

Brain scans: epilepsy research is one of the areas that will receive funding

Six Swansea University researchers have been awarded funding by Health and Care Research Wales, to investigate topics ranging from sun safety policies in primary schools to the impact of COVID-19 on people with epilepsy.

The successful Swansea projects are amongst the twenty-three new funding awards announced by HCRW, which have a combined lifetime value of over £6.3 million.

The Swansea researchers are all from the University’s Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science. They featured in two of the categories HCRW uses to allocate its awards.

Swansea University award winners

Social Care Research Fellowships

Providing talented individuals the support they need to become independent researchers while undertaking high-quality research projects benefiting social care in Wales.

  • Dr Simon Read, School of Health and Social Care and Swansea Centre for Health Economics:
    Determining Best Preventative Social Care Practice in the Contexts of Older People Receiving Care and Support at Home and Those Living with Dementia


Research Funding Scheme: Health Research Grants

Supporting high-quality research projects with clear relevance to health and wellbeing need and/or the organisation and delivery of health care services in Wales.

  • Dr Richard Fry, Joe Hollinghurst:
    Mapping service cold spots from COVID-19 lockdowns
  • Dr Mari Jones and Professor Deb Fitzsimmons, Swansea Centre for Health Economics:
    Learning from the national management of the pandemic: The health economic impact of COVID-19 on care and support for people over 65 years old
  • Dr Julie Peconi, Swansea Trials Unit:
    Sunproofed: A mixed methods evaluation of sun safety policies in primary schools in Wales
  • Dr Owen Pickrell, Prof Richard Chin from Edinburgh University, and co-applicants from the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science
    The impact of COVID-19 on health equality and mortality in people with epilepsy in Wales
  • Dr Rebecca Thomas and Prof David Owens, Diabetes Research Group:
    The impact of cessation of screening for diabetic eye disease on people with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michael Bowdery, Head of Programmes, Health and Care Research Wales, said:

“As always, the standard of applications was very high this year. We’re pleased with the range of important topic areas these awards cover, including investigations into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of settings. Investing in research and our researchers is vital to our goal, to boost the health and prosperity of people in Wales.”

Professor Gareth Jenkins, Associate Dean (Research, Innovation and Impact) in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, said:

“It is great to see that 6 new research awards have been given to Faculty staff by HCRW. HCRW is a key funding partner supporting our research ambitions and these awards demonstrate that strong partnership continuing in the area of Health and Social Care.

These HCRW awards are the culmination of a huge amount of work by the individuals concerned and the supporting professional service staff, particularly in the research hub. Well done all.”

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