The recently established Swansea University Centre for Health Economics (SUCHE) has announced yesterday (December 1, 2011), it has acquired certain assets and contracts from commercial organisation, Cardiff Research Consortium (CRC).
CRC is a health economics outcomes research consultancy, with particular expertise in the analysis of real world data and economic modelling.
Previously owned by The Capita Group PLC, the acquisition of CRC offers the University a unique opportunity to quickly develop and expand SUCHE, through the transfer of the company’s staff and current portfolio of live projects.
SUCHE was established early this year in order to increase the capacity for health economics outcomes research at the University’s College of Human and Health Sciences, where there continues to be intense demand for this information.
With a skill set that is unique in the UK, and certainly Wales, SUCHE combines significant qualitative skills, expertise in real world data mining and analysis and health policy, and therefore is ideally placed to undertake research and consultancy services for organisations engaged in the development and delivery of health care interventions and services.
Professor Ceri Phillips, Deputy Head of Swansea University’s College of Human and Health Sciences and Director of SUCHE, said: “Governments, and other bodies that create and manage health care budgets, are increasingly aware of the need to ensure that limited resources available are channelled into interventions and services that constitute value for money.
“Health economic analysis and outcomes research are the means by which the value for money of such services and interventions can be identified and evaluated.
“The acquisition will provide SUCHE with the immediate capability to deliver high quality research output and publications; increase interdisciplinary research; improve employability and the student experience, and to become financially sustainable.
“It also provides SUCHE with the resource capability to execute additional projects and catapults Swansea University’s reputation and capabilities into direct competition with established and recognised health economics and outcomes research institutions.
“Compared with the private consultancies and some other research teams, the SUCHE team can access real world datasets, work collaboratively with health services research experts in the College of Human and Health Sciences and also with University experts in the College of Medicine, the Health Information Research Unit, and the School of Business and Economics.”
