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Technology has become an integral part of our educational systems, and its importance in our schools cannot be overstated. However, digital skills, unlike other literacy skills, such as reading, writing, and numeracy, still have many discontinuities between how children use them at home versus in school. Therefore, in Wales (UK), digital skills are being promoted as part of the Digital Competence Framework (DCF) and feature highly in the new Curriculum for Wales (2022). Moreover, the new Digital Technology General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in Wales has been introduced to provide learners with the opportunity to gain a qualification that builds digital skills, knowledge, and understanding. However, this also brings many challenges for teachers, such as a lack of confidence, knowledge, and training, as well as a lack of resources and fear of change, to name a few. These challenges, in turn, have an impact on pupils' motivation and performance, as well as parents' ability to support their children. This paper presents a qualitative case study on the development of a new digital technology learning community for primary and secondary school pupils, their teachers, and parents in Blaenau Gwent, Wales (UK). Firstly, the paper will provide insight into what was required to establish an effective learning community, including ensuring engagement and buy-in from all stakeholders. Secondly, through the description, analysis, and interpretation of findings from two studies, the paper will highlight the impact of the DTLSN learning community on teachers and pupils in Blaenau Gwent, especially in terms of their learning and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Existing cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks the way that policy and law are not the exclusive domain of central government. This can result in an over-simplification or misrepresentation of the true situation. The political culture and institutional arrangements for governing the modern state are more complex than a "one-size-fits-all" approach. It is argued that cross-cultural research needs to give greater attention to differences within as well as between unitary states. Specifically, it needs to examine developments in constituent nations and territories. Here we illustrate this by drawing on new research in the United Kingdom, and examine how 'devolution'—or decentralized government for Wales and Scotland—is providing contrasting opportunities for NGOs, campaigners, and the public to lobby to improve animal welfare policy based on local practices, beliefs, and demands (collectively known as the "political culture"). Our findings show how this is important because it results in contrasting animal welfare policies and laws in the constituent nations of the UK. It is argued that extant cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks or gives insufficient attention to new governance theory, civil society, politics, and the realities of devolved or (quasi-)federal, multi-level governance in the modern state. This paper synthesizes relevant social theory and draws on new empirical findings of civil society accounts of campaigning on animal welfare policies and law in the United Kingdom. It is presented as a corrective to arguably reductive, earlier unitary state-based analyses. Our core, evidence-based argument is that cognizance of civil society activism and the contrasting institutional governance structures and political cultures of constituent nations in unitary states—such as the UK—are providing opportunities for the territorialization of legally grounded animal welfare regimes, and culturally distinctive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In Great Britain, private animal keepers such as pet owners and farmers require a licence from their local government authority to keep wild animals of species formally categorised as "dangerous". No central record of these licences is maintained by the national Governments in Britain, and the last formal examination of the situation was published more than 20 years ago. We examined the scale and scope of private keeping of dangerous wild animals in England, Scotland, and Wales in 2020. We found a total of 3950 individual dangerous wild animals kept by 210 licensees across more than one-third of British local authorities. While overall numbers of licensed dangerous wild animals have declined over the preceding 20 years, there have been notable increases in the keeping of some taxa such as wild cats, venomous snakes, and crocodilians. There is evidence that the average relative cost to obtain a licence to keep a dangerous wild animal has decreased since the earlier study, and that local authorities with licensed animals have lower licensing fees than those without. We discuss the current system of licensing with a view to making recommendations for improvement. We analysed the licences issued by British local government authorities under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, which regulates the private keeping of wild animals categorised as "dangerous", to assess the scope and scale of private keeping of dangerous wild animals in Great Britain. Results are compared with historical data from England and Wales, showing that there has been an overall decrease both in the total population of dangerous wild animals privately kept under licence and the number of licences, resulting primarily from a decrease in the farming of wild boar and ostrich, and from certain other species no longer requiring a licence to be kept. Nonetheless, the private keeping of dangerous wild animals remains prevalent, with a total population of 3950 animals kept under licence, and at least one-third of local authorities in Britain licensing keepers of one or more such animals. The population of non-farmed dangerous taxa has increased by 59% in 20 years, with notable increases in crocodilians (198%), venomous snakes (94%), and wild cats (57%). We present evidence that the average cost of a licence to keep dangerous wild animals has fallen over time, and that there is a negative association between cost and licensing. The current schedule of species categorised as dangerous is compared to a formally recognised list of species kept in zoos assessed by risk to the public. Problems with the legislation, enforcement of the licensing system, and animal welfare for privately kept dangerous wild animals are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence is recognised as a cause of health harm, but it is not consistently or adequately captured in healthcare data systems. While administrative health records could be valuable sources of information for measuring violence, they remain underutilised in violence-related research. The present research aims to examine the suitability of violence indicators in emergency care, primary care, and linked healthcare datasets. Descriptive analyses were conducted with the 2015/16 Hospital Episode Statistics Accident and Emergency (HES A&E) and the 2021/22 Emergency Care Data Set (ECDS). The potential of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and the South Wales Violence Surveillance dataset (a police and emergency department (ED) dataset linked by Public Health Wales) were shown using available evidence. Among the discussed datasets, the South Wales Violence Surveillance dataset has the most detail about violent acts and their contexts, while the CPRD includes a more extensive range of socioeconomic factors about patients and extensive linkage with other datasets. Currently, detailed safeguarding information is routinely removed from the ECDS extracts provided to researchers, limiting its utility for violence research. In the HES A&E, only physical violence was consistently recorded. Addressing these issues has the potential to improve the use of health administrative data in research on violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the context of reopening society in the summer of 2021, as the UK moved away from 'lockdowns', the Government of Wales piloted the return of organized 'mass gatherings' of people at a number of test events. The current study reports behavioral observations that were made at two of the test events to inform this process. The researchers were particularly interested in four key factors: how (1) context within a venue, (2) environmental design, (3) staffing and social norms, and (4) time across an event, affected the personal protective behaviors of social distancing and face-covering use. Data collection was undertaken by trained observers. Adherence to protective behaviors was generally high, but there is clear evidence that these behaviors were shaped in a systematic way by the environment, situational cues, and the passage of time during the events. Some instances of large-scale non-adherence to personal protective behaviors were documented. An analysis within a dual-process framework suggests ways to understand and respond to supporting target health behaviors in groups of people where intervention is deemed valuable, such as in complex or ambiguous contexts. This is one of the first studies to include a 'true' behavioral measure in understanding human responses to COVID-19. It demonstrates that behavioral observations can add precision and granularity to understanding human behavior in complex real-world contexts. Given the significant physical and mental health burden created acutely and chronically by COVID-19, this work has implications for how governments and organizations support target populations in other complex challenges facing us today, such as in sustainability, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. An individual's intentions are not always matched by their actions, and so the findings support a balanced liberal paternalistic approach where system-level changes support appropriate individual-level decisions to engender collective responsibility and action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Dogs are considered property under U.K. law, while owners generally regard their canine companions as family. Reports that the number of stolen dogs in England and Wales rose from 1788 in 2016 to 1909 in 2017 led to public calls to change the law. Recognising that a more robust analysis of dog theft crime statistics is required, we gathered dog theft data for 2015, 2016, and 2017 from 41 of 44 police forces. This paper examines how dog theft crime statistics are constructed, assesses the strengths and weaknesses of these data, and categorises, maps, and measures dog theft changes temporally per police force in England and Wales. Our findings reveal there has been an increase in dog theft crimes, with 1559 thefts in 2015, 1653 in 2016 (+6.03%), and 1842 in 2017 (+11.43%), and a decrease in court charges related to dog theft crimes, with 64 (3.97%) in 2015, 51 (3.08%) in 2016, and 39 (2.11%) in 2017. The actual number of dog theft crimes will be higher as three forces could not supply useable data. There is a need for a qualitative study to understand dog theft crime in different parts of the country, and a standardised approach to recording dog theft by all police forces in England and Wales. We recommend classifying dog theft (or pet theft more generally) as a crime in itself under the Sentencing Guidelines associated with the Theft Act 1968. Dogs are considered property under U.K. law, while current discourses of pet ownership place canine companions as part of an extended family. This means sentences for those who steal dogs are not reflective of a dogs' sentience and agency, rather in line with charges for those who steal a laptop or wallet. This is particularly problematic as dog theft is currently on the rise in England and Wales, leading to public calls to change the law. Recognising that a more robust analysis of dog theft crime statistics is required, we gathered dog theft data for 2015, 2016, and 2017 from 41 of 44 police forces through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. This paper uses these data to examine how dog theft crime statistics are constructed, assesses the strengths and weaknesses of these data, and categorises, maps, and measures dog theft changes temporally per police force in England and Wales. Our findings reveal there has been an increase in dog theft crimes, with 1559 in 2015, 1653 in 2016 (+6.03%), and 1842 in 2017 (+11.43%), and a decrease in court charges related to dog theft crimes, with 64 (3.97%) in 2015, 51 (3.08%) in 2016, and 39 (2.11%) in 2017. There were police force inconsistencies in recording dog theft crime, which meant some data were unusable or could not be accessed or analysed. We recommend a qualitative study to understand stakeholder perspectives of dog theft crime in different areas, and a standardised and transparent approach to recording the theft of a dog by all forces across England and Wales. This could be achieved by classifying dog theft (or pet theft more generally) as a crime in itself under the Sentencing Guidelines associated with the Theft Act 1968. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive review of building materials, construction methods, and building regulations on the U.K. mainland. This provides valuable insights into the historical progression and transformation of the construction industry through a comprehensive analysis of both traditional and modern building construction materials and methods and categorising their evolutionary trajectory. Current building regulations in England, Wales, and Scotland are compared, highlighting differences in fire safety, noise safety, energy conservation, and sustainability. For example, fire safety regulations are analysed in detail, including fire resistance duration, wall cladding combustibility, and limitations on unprotected areas. Advances in knowledge and technology have led to increasingly sophisticated and energy-dependent methods, materials, and regulations. This study showcases the vast array of building construction materials spanning centuries, each possessing unique properties and performances. The selected methods and materials represent those currently employed or widely utilised in the U.K. construction industry, affirming their relevance and applicability in modern construction practices. Limitations in construction practices primarily stem from a lack of knowledge and tools rather than material scarcity. Enhancing knowledge and access to advanced tools is crucial to overcoming these limitations and driving advancements in the field. This study provides insights into the evolution of building materials, construction methods, and building regulations that can inform future developments in sustainable building practices. The findings have significant implications for policymakers, building designers, and constructors, particularly in terms of adopting sustainable materials and construction methods that comply with building regulations while reducing the environmental impact of the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireworm, the larval stages of click beetles, are a serious pest of tubers, brassicas and other important commercial crops throughout the northern hemisphere. No effective control agent has been developed specifically for them, and many of the pesticides marketed as having secondary application against them have been withdrawn from EU and Asian markets. Metarhizium brunneum, an effective entomopathogenic fungus, and its derived volatile metabolites are known to be effective plant biostimulants and plant protectants, although field efficacy has yet to be validated. Field validation of a combined M. brunneum and derived VOC treatments was conducted in Wales, UK, to assess the effects of each as a wireworm control agent and biostimulant. Plots were treated with Tri-Soil (Trichoderma atroviridae), M. brunneum, 1-octen-3-ol or 3-octanone, or combinations thereof. Treatments were applied subsurface during potato seeding (n = 52), and potatoes were harvested at the end of the growing season. Each potato was weighed individually and scored for levels of wireworm damage. Applications of both the VOCs and the M. brunneum individually were found to significantly decrease wireworm burden (p < 0.001). Combinations of M. brunneum and 3-octanone were also found to significantly decrease wireworm damage (p < 0.001), while no effect on yield was reported, resulting in an increased saleable mass over controls (p < 0.001). Herein, we present a novel 'stimulate and deter' wireworm control strategy that can be used to significantly enhance saleable potato yields and control wireworm populations, even under high pest pressure densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-mining exploitation has caused ecosystem degradation worldwide. Legacy wastes are often concentrated around former mines where monitoring and research works are mostly focused. Geochemical and physical weathering can affect metal-enriched sediment locations and their capacity to release metals at a catchment scale. This study investigated how fluvial geomorphology and soil geochemistry drive zinc and lead dispersion along the Nant Cwmnewyddion (Wales, UK). Sediments from different locations were sampled for geochemical and mineralogical investigations (portable X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and electron microprobe analysis). The suspended sediment fluxes in the streamwater were estimated at different streamflows to quantify the metal dispersion. Topographical and slope analysis allowed us to link sediment erosion with the exposure of primary sulphide minerals in the headwater. Zinc and lead entered the streamwater as aqueous phases or as suspended sediments. Secondary sources were localised in depositional stream areas due to topographical obstruction and a decrease in stream gradient. Sediment zinc and lead concentrations were lower in depositional areas and associated with Fe-oxide or phyllosilicates. Streamwater zinc and lead fluxes highlighted their mobility under high-flow conditions. This multi-disciplinary approach stressed the impact of the headwater mining work on the downstream catchment and provided a low-cost strategy to target sediment sampling via geomorphological observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calculating Repeating Thermal Bridges (RTBs) for Timber Frame (TF) closed panels that could occur in Offsite Manufactured (OSM) Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), such as exterior walls for nearly-to-zero operational energy dwellings to be constructed in Wales, United Kingdom (UK) is discussed in this paper. Detailed calculations for linear RTBs due to the TF components are often neglected when evaluating thermal transmittance (known as U-values hereafter). The use of standard TF fractions does not allow the designer to perceive their detrimental impact on RTBs and consequent U-values for exterior walls. With the increase of the thermal performance of exterior walls and as such lower U-values due to ever-tightening Building Regulations, specifically related to the energy use and carbon emissions from the space heating of dwellings, then the impacts of RTBs requires more investigation. By not calculating the potential of linear RTB at the design stage could lead to a performance gap where assumed U-values for exterior walls differ from manufacture to onsite. A TF detail from the Welsh manufacture has been chosen as a case study, to develop and apply a methodology using manufacturing drawings to evaluate TF fraction and their effect on the thermal performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality and energy consumption are among the top ten environmental priorities in seaports as stated by the European Sea Ports Organization. Globally, it is estimated that 15% of energy consumption can be attributed to refrigeration and air conditioning systems in fishing activities. There is a real need to understand energy usage in fishery ports to help identify areas of improvements, with a view to optimize energy usage and minimize carbon emissions. In this study, we elaborate on ways in which a simulation capability can be developed at the community level with a fishery port, using a real-world case study seaport in Milford Heaven (Wales, UK). This simulation-based strategy is used to investigate the potential of renewable energy, including local solar farms, to meet the local power demand. This has informed the development of a simulation-based optimization strategy meant to explore how smart energy communities can be formed at the port level by integrating the smart grid with the local community energy storage. The main contribution of the paper involves a co-simulation environment that leverages calibrated energy simulation models to deliver an optimization capability that (a) manages electrical storage within a district an environment, and (b) promotes the formation of energy communities in a fishery port ecosystem. This is paving the way to policy implications, not only in terms of carbon and energy reduction, but also in the formation and sustained management of energy communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silvopastoral agroforestry and the strategic placement of trees and hedgerows offers potential to improve livestock welfare and production efficiency through the provision of shelter in livestock farming systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between shelter-seeking behaviour of ewes during the lambing period and the microclimate influenced by landscape shelter features. Artificial and natural shelter was provided to Aberfield ewes (n = 15) on an upland sheep farm in Wales, UK, which were then continuously monitored for 14 days using global positioning system tracking devices. Modelling of microclimate influenced by topographical shelter features at the test site was used to generate a 1 m resolution wind field for geospatial statistical analysis of localised wind speed. Ewes demonstrated an increased preference for natural (3.4-fold; p < 0.01) and artificial (3.0-fold; p < 0.05) shelter zones five times the height of the shelter, compared to the exposed area of the trial site. Wind-chill and modelled local-scale wind speeds were found to have the greatest influence on shelter-seeking behaviour, with temperature and field-scale wind speed significantly influencing livestock behaviour. Mean wind-chill temperature during the trial was 3.7 °C (min −5.3 °C; max 13.1 °C), which is within the cold stress temperature threshold (−3 and 8 °C) that requires thermoregulatory strategies such as shelter-seeking behaviour. An improved understanding of the relationship between microclimate and shelter-seeking behaviour in sheep, demonstrated through the agent-based model developed in this project, shall better inform the economic incentives (e.g., reduction in lamb mortality and forage requirements) behind silvopastoral practices that benefit farm productivity, livestock welfare and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present the use of the coupled land surface model and groundwater flow model SWAT-MODFLOW with the decision support tool WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning software) to predict future surface-water abstraction scenarios in a complex river basin under conditions of climate change. The modelling framework is applied to the Dee River catchment in Wales, United Kingdom. Regarding hydrology, the coupled model improves overall water balance and low-streamflow conditions compared with a stand-alone SWAT model. The calibrated SWAT-MODFLOW is employed with high-resolution climate model data from the UKCP18 project with the future scenario of RCP85 from 2020 to 2040. Then, water supply results from SWAT-MODFLOW are fed into WEAP as input for the river reach in the downstream region of the river basin. This system is utilized to create various future scenarios of the surface-water abstraction of public water supply in the downstream region—maximum licensed withdraw, 50% authorized abstractions, monthly time series with 1% increases in water use, and maximum water withdraw per year based on historical records repeated every year with 1% increases in water use—to estimate the unmet demands and streamflow requirement. This modelling approach can be used in other river basins to manage scenarios of supply and demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wales is one of the world leaders in household waste recycling with a steady recent recycling rate of ~65%. The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) set a statutory target of achieving a 70% recycling rate by 2024/25. We reviewed historical trends in waste management in Wales from 2006 to 2020, with a focus on recycling. Authoritative, official data were obtained from WasteDataFlow, an Internet system for municipal waste data reporting by UK local authorities to government. Data are collected quarterly allowing the generation of time series plots, trendlines and like-for-like comparisons between groupings of various characteristics, such as number of separate kerbside collections, income, political preference, and impact of policy changes. Results showed that the approach taken by the WAG to politically prioritise and encourage participation in household recycling has achieved impressive results that contrast starkly with the recycling performance of other UK countries. In Wales, household waste disposed annually per person via landfill decreased from ~410 kg to <50 kg and household waste recycled increased from to ~150 kg to ~310 kg, with a recent increase in incineration with energy recovery to ~135 kg as infrastructure has come online. Recycling rates show a seasonal variation due to increases in garden waste sent for composting in the summer. There are variations in local authority performance across Wales, mainly caused by variations in the number of separate collections. Co-mingled collections tend to lead to higher contamination of recyclates that are then not able to be sold for recycling. Deprivation, as indicated by differences in income, also influences total waste arisings and recycling rates. A plateau of ~65% recycling rate was reached in 2020, with incineration reaching a rate of >25%. The recycling rate plateaus at exactly the same time as incineration comes on stream. Evidence demonstrates that improvements to recycling rates can become more difficult when incineration becomes available. Whilst further reductions and improvements to recycling in Wales will be more challenging, the WAG's track record of focused proactive political and policy support shows what can be achieved when there is suitable political will. The WAG has demonstrated that it tends to deliver on its waste-related plans, and it clearly has the best chance of any of the UK's four countries of achieving its aims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonisation of heating in the United Kingdom is likely to entail both the mass adoption of heat pumps and widespread development of district heating infrastructure. Estimation of the spatially disaggregated heat demand is needed for both electrical distribution network with electrified heating and for the development of district heating. The temporal variation of heat demand is important when considering the operation of district heating, thermal energy storage and electrical grid storage. The difference between the national and urban heat demands profiles will vary due to the type and occupancy of buildings leading to temporal variations which have not been widely surveyed. This paper develops a high-resolution spatiotemporal heat load model for Great Britain (GB: England, Scotland a Wales) by identifying the appropriate datasets, archetype segmentation and characterisation for the domestic and nondomestic building stock. This is applied to a thermal model and calibrated on the local scale using gas consumption statistics. The annual GB heat demand was in close agreement with other estimates and the peak demand was 219 GWth. The urban heat demand was found to have a lower peak to trough ratio than the average national demand profile. This will have important implications for the uptake of heating technologies and design of district heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Action Levels (ALs) are thresholds which are used to determine whether dredged material is suitable for disposal at sea by providing a proxy risk assessment for potential impacts to biological features such as fish and benthos. This project tested proposed scenarios for changes to the UK Action Levels to determine the likely implications for navigational dredge licensing in England and Wales. Approximately 3000 sample data records from 2009 to 2018 were collated with varying numbers of concentrations for contaminant parameters including trace metals, organotins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Initially, these data were assessed using current ALs to determine the percentages of the samples with levels below AL1 (generally acceptable for disposal), between AL1 and AL2 and those showing levels above AL2 (generally unacceptable for disposal). These results were then used to compare with the results of the proposed new AL scenarios for each contaminant type derived from literature reviews and historic data. The results indicate that there are changes to the ALs which could be made such as updating the current ALs with the revised ALs, as well as the introduction of ALs where there are currently none set. The benefits of changing the ALs include reducing contaminant disposal to the marine environment and increased transparency in decision making. Any proposed scenarios will need to be phased in carefully in full liaison with stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring reliable drinking water supplies is anticipated to be a key future challenge facing water service providers due to fluctuations in rainfall patterns and water demand caused by climate change. This study investigates historical trends and relationships between precipitation, air temperature and streamflow in five catchments in Wales, before correlating these with actual total abstraction data provided by the water company, to give insight into the supply-demand balance. Changes in seasonal and annual averages, as well as extreme events, are assessed for a 34-year period (1982–2015) and a breakpoint analysis is performed to better understand how climate has already changed and what this might mean for the future of water supply. Results show a north-south divide in changes in extreme temperature and streamflow; a strong warming trend in autumn average temperatures across Wales (Sen's slope range: 0.38–0.41, p <0.05), but little change in precipitation. Abstraction, as a proxy for overall water demand, is shown to be positively correlated to temperature (Spearman's ρ value range: 0.094–0.403, p <0.01; Pearson's r value range 0.073–0.369, p <0.01) in four of five catchments. Our study provides new insight into the relationship between abstraction volume and hydroclimatic factors and highlights the need for catchment-scale water resource planning that accounts for hydroclimatic variations over small spatial distances, as these nuances can be vital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, UK public health messages about the risks of sunlight exposure (skin cancer) have been increasingly balanced by messages about its benefits (vitamin D production). Currently, data about the effects of this shift on public knowledge, awareness, and behaviour are scant. Thus, the objective of this paper is to report the findings of the first large-scale and representative survey of the awareness, knowledge, and behaviour of adults in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) ( n = 2024) with respect to sunlight exposure, vitamin D, and sunburn and skin cancer. The findings suggest that the public in Great Britain is much more aware of public promotion of the risks of sunlight exposure than its benefits. That said, knowledge about sunlight exposure and vitamin D is fairly strong, though not with respect to the detail of the 'little and often' approach. However, the survey also suggests that levels of sunlight exposure among the public are often excessive. The survey indicates that knowledge and behaviour are both less satisfactory among men and people in lower socio-economic groups. The paper concludes with recommendations for public health communications and for research in this area.

Health impact assessment (HIA) is a systematic and flexible tool, which is advocated by the World Health Organisation as a method through which to consider the impact of policies on the health and well-being of a population, and the inequalities that may arise because of it. In 2018, the HIA support unit in Wales carried out a comprehensive and unique HIA on the impact of Brexit in Wales. The aims were to understand the differential impacts that Brexit would have on the health and well-being of the population and to provide evidence to inform decision makers across a range of public bodies. It followed a five-step process for HIA and utilised a wide range of evidence sources and health intelligence including both quantitative and qualitative evidence. This paper reflects on the process of carrying out the HIA and the methods used. It discusses the stages of the HIA, and shares the findings and reflections of implementation which will be beneficial to other HIA practitioners and policy makers. It does not concentrate on the findings of the HIA in detail, but focusses on what worked and any challenges encountered. It has been used to progress the practice of HIA in Wales and demonstrates the value of HIA as a method to inform and influence complex decisions.