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CTM UHB partners with Rhondda Cynon Taf Health Determinants Research Collaboration (RCT HDRC) to Make a Change to health in RCT

Rhondda Cynon Taff

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has partnered with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Cardiff University, Interlink RCT and Public Health Wales to establish the Rhondda Cynon Taf Health Determinants Research Collaboration (RCT HDRC), which is co-led by the Council and Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP).

The wider determinants of health are non-medical factors that influence our health. These can be physical, mental, emotional, social and environmental. They include things like the air pollution levels in your street, the quality of your housing and transport, how good the schools are and whether you have a job.

The aim of the RCT HDRC is to create a vibrant research culture within Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. This will ensure that a range of evidence is used to help the council make decisions that will benefit people living within RCT. Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board will support this collaboration by working closely with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to:

  • Boost research capacity and capability
  • Develop research understanding
  • Embed a culture of using research and evidence to inform decision-making, to break cycles of poverty, improve the life chances of the most disadvantaged, and address the wider determinants of health

The RCT HDRC team has recently launched the Make a Change website, which aims to share information about the project and ongoing work, and will encourages RCT residents to engage with the project and share thoughts, opinions and feedback.

Philip Daniels, Executive Director, Public Health said: “We are delighted to be involved in this significant partnership for the people of RCT.  We want to properly understand the lived experiences of our local communities and the factors that affect their ability to live happily and healthily in our region. We can improve people's health outcomes, improve local services and build healthier futures for our local population by taking an evidence and research informed approach, and by working collaboratively with our partners."

The RCT HDRC is funded for five years by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and is the second HDRC funded in Wales.

You can find out more about the Rhondda Cynon Taf Health Determinants Research Collaboration (RCT HDRC), and get involved with the Make a Change project here: https://makeachange.rctcbc.gov.uk/

04/08/2025