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Part of the R&D Infrastructure in Wales
PHIRN is one of 9 thematic research networks in Wales . It is part of the overall
Clinical Research Collaboration Cymru infrastructure which includes:
- Academic research network (AWARD)
- 10 Thematic Research Networks
- 4 Infrastructure Support Services
- Health Information Research Unit (HIRU)
- Co-ordinating Centre (CRC Cymru CC)
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A Public Health Improvement Network
- Aims to improve the health and well-being of the public, particularly by developing and testing interventions.
- Applys a broad range of interventions from simple to complex, small- to large-scale, and includes policy development.
- Interventions and policies will be developed and tested for effectiveness in reducing health inequalities and in improving population health and well-being.
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A synergy of public health professionals
PHIRN will bring together
- academics
- policy makers
- practitioners
- members of the public
and is concerned with the development, strategic planning, delivery and evaluation of policies, services and interventions that directly or indirectly impact upon the health of the public in Wales at a community or population level.
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A striving dynamic organization
- identifying and exploring research priorities
- taking forward priority research projects
- exchanging new evidence, policy developments, practitioner innovation
- exchanging innovative methodological approaches
- identifying innovations in policy and practice at an early stage to maximize opportunities for 'natural experiments'
- developing high quality research project protocols
- executing funded research protocols.
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Aims and scope
The activities of PHIRN will focus on its core aim, which is to increase the quantity and quality of public health improvement research that is relevant to policy and practice. This aim will be achieved by
- increasing the number of natural experiments within the roll-out of new initiatives
- developing high quality collaborative research proposals for research grant funding
- developing high quality collaborative research proposals linked to emerging initiatives, such that projects could seek external funding of research costs, with intervention costs borne by the relevant national or local organization.
To do this the network will bring together public health researchers in Wales, particularly the three groups in Bangor, Cardiff, and Swansea. This will draw together expertise, and facilitate communication and collaboration between researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. |
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Organisational structure of PHIRN
Network Co-ordinating Team:
There are four members of staff at CISHE to develop, support, and action the policies of PHIRN so as to enable it to fulfil its vision and mission. The Director of PHIRN is Professor Laurence Moore and he is supported by Dr Simon Murphy, Sarah MacDonald, Dr Larry Raisanen and Zoë Macdonald.
Strategic Board Members:
There are currently 27 advisory board members. The main role of the Strategic Board is to maximise engagement with and awareness of PHIRN among the leadership of key organisations, through their membership of the board. Current membership includes representatives from: IMSCAR, University of Wales Bangor; PHA Cymru; Wales Centre for Health; CHIRAL, University of Wales Swansea; Chartered Institute of Environmental Health; Centre for Health Sciences Research, including Epidemiology, Statistics and Public Health, Cardiff University; AWARD; Welsh Local Government Association; Cardiff Dental School; National Public Health Service; Public Health Improvement Division, Welsh Assembly Government and WORD. Further details about Strategic Board Members can be found at here. |
