Health and Care Research Wales announces latest funding award recipients

1 October 2026

Shelly Higgins from Powys Teaching Health Board has been successful in the latest round of Health and Care Research Wales funding awards.

Health and Care Research Wales has awarded 22 new funding grants to support innovative research projects and researchers across Wales, addressing a range of health and social care priorities, with a combined lifetime value of more than £5.07 million.

Funding has been granted to a range of research projects aimed at addressing health and social care priorities, while also supporting the development of talented researchers at different stages of their careers. Research topics funded this year include the early diagnosis of infection in pregnancy and labour, self-harm prevention in secondary schools, menopause support through community pharmacies, and improving outcomes in children’s social care, among others.

Michael Bowdery, Head of Programmes at Health and Care Research Wales, said: “We are delighted to support this latest cohort of award recipients, whose research reflects the breadth, quality and ambition of the health and social care research community in Wales. The projects funded through our Integrated Funding Scheme will generate evidence to help address important challenges facing patients, the public and services, and enable Welsh researchers to compete UK-wide for larger follow-on awards.

“Our personal awards will support researchers at different stages of their careers to develop their skills, expertise and leadership potential. By investing in both excellent research and the people behind it, we are helping to strengthen Wales' research environment and improve health and care outcomes for the future.”

Health and Care Research Wales Faculty – Personal awardees

Health and Care Research Wales Doctoral Fellowship award

· Shelly Higgins

Understanding transfers to hospital from planned home and freestanding midwifery unit births: A mixed methods study

Start date: 1 October 2026 (£299,600)

Visit the Health and Care Research Wales website to see the full list of the latest awardees: Health and Care Research Wales announces latest funding award recipients | Health Care Research Wales