Welcome to the Richard Wells Research Centre   
Our Centre was established in 1995 to develop research and educational initiatives within the field of caring for patients with HIV disease. Over time, our remit broadened to incorporate the prevention and care issues associated with infectious diseases in general and healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) in particular. As the only research centre of this type in the Higher Education sector, we collaborate closely with the Department of Health (DH), National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), NHS Modernisation Agency, National Audit Office (NAO) and a variety of relevant organisations and learned societies to establish the evidence-base for preventing and controlling HCAI in acute, primary and community care environments. The Centre was named after Richard Wells, one of the outstanding nursing leaders of the past two decades and who, despite his death in 1993,  remains an inspiration to us. A brief biography of Richard's long and distinguished career can be found on this site.

In February 2006 the Centre became a collaborating centre of The Joanna Briggs Institute, an organisation dedicated to collaborative evaluation of evidence derived from a diverse range of sources, including experience, expertise and all forms of rigorous research and the translation, transfer and utilisation of the "best available" evidence into health care practice. This collaboration is operationalised through the linking of the activities of a number of research centres with the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences at Thames Valley University to form the The Centre for Evidence-Based Nursing and Midwifery. It exists to support the enhancement of clinical practice in NHS Trusts across North-West London and Berkshire by working with nurses and midwives from the acute and primary healthcare sectors to develop, implement and evaluate evidence to promote, support and sustain best practice.

On this website, you will be able to meet us, learn about our mission and review our education and research programme. If you wish to comment on any part of our programme, or have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us.