Supporting Wales as a centre of health economics excellence
The Welsh NHS underwent major restructuring in 2009 to allow more focus on frontline provision of healthcare. An ageing population and an increase in people living with chronic conditions places considerable financial burdens on the Welsh NHS. The new structure sought to allow more transparent decision-making to benefit patients and staff (NHS in Wales). Why we are changing the structure, October 2009). These decisions need to be made by considering value for money. SCHE plays an important role in providing evidence to make these decisions.
Swansea Centre for Health Economics is part of the Welsh Health Economics Support Service (WHESS), commissioned by Health and Care Research Wales. WHESS provides health economics support at the early conceptual stages of research proposal planning, in research funding applications, in research practice and in the dissemination and implementation of research findings.
Since the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) inception in 2002, SCHE has played a key role in providing economic evidence and advice. Pippa Anderson is the health economist for the All Wales Medical Devices and Consumables group and the New Medicines Group (NMG). Debs Fitzsimmons is the health economist for the Interim Pathways Commissioning Group (IPCG) panel and deputy member of the NMG. Berni Sewell leads the SCHE input into economic appraisals for AWMSG, and Sara Groves is the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (AWTCC) health economist.
