DECIPHer research has a broad range of impacts across policy and practice in Wales and beyond, in line with our mission to improve the health of the population and reduce inequalities.
A core theme of DECIPHer research is advancing methodologies for intervention science, and via this, we also have far-reaching impacts on the practices of other scientific groups.
REF impact
case studies
Since its inception in 2009, DECIPHer has led, or contributed to, three Research Excellence Framework Impact case studies. These are:
- Protecting children’s health through new tobacco and
e-cigarette laws (DECIPHer led REF2021): https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/e7801719-3ad2-4af2-8e8f-5c021a14d333?page=1. - Enhancing educational experiences for care experienced children and young people in Wales (led by CASCADE with contributions from DECIPHer; REF2021): https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/33ab52a6-e97e-488a-af77-300ba7caba46?page=1.
- A Stop Smoking in Schools Trial (ASSIST) in schools in England and Wales (DECIPHer led REF2014).
Recent and current studies with emerging impacts on policy and practice
In our current phase (2025-30), we are completing and undertaking a wide range of studies with potential for impacts on policy and practice. For example:
- Outputs from our ongoing evaluation of the Welsh Government’s Whole School Approach to mental health and wellbeing have generated resources now available to all school staff in Wales via Hwb.
- Findings from DECIPHer supported research on youth violence prevention have informed an intervention manual used by hospitals in Wales.
- Research on universal free school meals in primary schools is building on earlier DECIPHer research on universal free breakfasts in primary schools, which continue to be offered across Wales 15 years after our evaluation.
- The CHIMES review (a DECIPHer-led review of mental health interventions on children in care) has informed this UNICEF white paper: https://www.unicef.org/eca/reports/introducing-mental-health-and-well-being-lens-continuum-care-europe-and-central-asia
Research partnerships based partly
in DECIPHer
DECIPHer also hosts elements of several large partnerships which generate impacts on research policy and practice via:
- Evidence reviews: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/groups/medicine/esmi/workstreams/nihrpublichealthreviewteam/.
- Rapid evaluation: https://phirst.nihr.ac.uk/about-phirst/phirst-insight/.
- Advancing behavioural research across the UK: https://usher.ed.ac.uk/behavioural-research-uk.
The School Health Research Network (SHRN)
SHRN, based in DECIPHer, also plays a major role in
shaping educational policy and practice to improve health
in schools, working with individual schools and healthy
school coordinators.
For SHRN impacts, see: https://www.shrn.org.uk/impact-and-case-studies/.
More information about SHRN can be read here: https://www.shrn.org.uk/.
Impacts on the work of other scientific groups
We have published and disseminated a range of methodological work which has been highly influential in shaping how intervention science is done by other academic teams across the world, in public health and beyond. Notable outputs include:
- MRC guidance for process evaluation of complex interventions: https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h1258.
- Guidance for adapting interventions to new contexts: https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1679.
- A framework for co-producing interventions: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28870192/.
This methodological work underpins our Wales based and international short course teaching for professionals.
Our methodological works are widely used by PhD students, and large experienced research teams all over the world.
For example, for the past six years we have regularly provided training to cohorts of 20-30 doctoral students per year in Karolinska Institutet, many of whom are using our methods in their research.
