Written question WQ94456

We benefit from the NHS being a research-active service.

Not only do NHS organisations support scientific breakthroughs, enabling earlier diagnosis, more effective treatments and improved system design – all of which improve care and outcomes – but it increases workforce satisfaction and retention and patient and carer experience. Mortality is also lower in research-active hospitals.

In 2023, the Welsh Government published a Research and Development Framework to embed and integrate research into all aspects of health and care services in NHS Wales. NHS organisations are expected to use the framework to develop robust plans for improving the research landscape within their organisations, including how they can grow workforce capacity and capability by including research and development in the organisation’s workforce strategies, and ensure all NHS staff have the opportunity to support research by including it in all NHS job descriptions and have protected time for research through job planning, and performance appraisal and development reviews.

Health Education and Improvement Wales recently completed a research strategy for healthcare science, which will help to develop the research capabilities of that particular staff group.