I had the pleasure of attending Welsh NHS Confederation Annual Conference and Exhibition at Cardiff City Stadium.
This brought together more than four hundred and fifty leaders, professionals and partners, all focused on one mission: transforming health and care across Wales. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation, reflecting the significant changes on the horizon for Welsh democracy and the health sector.
Embracing Change and Opportunity
With a Senedd election approaching, you could feel the tension in the air, the event highlighted both the challenges and the immense opportunities ahead. The message was clear: the world is changing, and so must the NHS. Leaders called for bold thinking, collaboration and a renewed commitment to innovation.
The theme of transformation was evident throughout. Speakers emphasised the importance of working together across sectors, including local government, the third sector and industry. The Welsh NHS Confederation urged a strategic review of capital investment, especially in digital infrastructure, to unlock productivity and improve outcomes.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, reinforced the need for performance, transparency and strong leadership. He acknowledged progress in reducing waiting lists and improving planned care, while stressing the importance of consistency and accountability across all health boards. The expectation is clear: innovation must be matched by delivery.
Tackling Cancer: A Model for System Change
Life Sciences Hub Wales hosted a dedicated session on the Tackling Cancer initiative. This demonstrated how integrated efforts across research, clinical practice, industry and academia are addressing one of Wales’s most pressing health challenges.
Speakers at the session included our Innovation Adoption Director, Rhodri Griffiths, and two Non-Executive Directors, Neil Nesher and Meinir Jones. It highlighted how the approach found within the initiative, based on collaboration and backed by evidence, offers a model for innovation in other areas.
Neil Mesher commented on the potential for scaling innovation:
“There is a huge opportunity here on the back of this, to accelerate adoption of patient scale. Adoption of patient scale is the biggest single challenge that I think industry faces when it connects with any mature healthcare system anywhere in the world.”
Scaling Innovation and Learning Together
Panel discussions across the day focused on the need to adopt innovations quickly and at scale, reduce duplication and ensure that successful pilots become standard practice. The importance of clear leadership, standardised processes and a willingness to learn from both successes and setbacks was a recurring theme.
The NHS Wales Confederation Event showed that while the challenges are considerable, the ambition and capacity for change within Welsh health and care are even greater. By fostering genuine collaboration, embracing innovation and maintaining a relentless focus on outcomes, Wales is ready to deliver a health service that meets the needs of its people now and in the future.
The event concluded with an important challenge for every attendee: take at least one actionable idea back to your organisation. The transformation of Welsh health and care will be achieved not by policy alone, but by the collective efforts of individuals committed to making a difference.
Interested in learning more about how Life Sciences Hub Wales can help you in getting innovation to the frontline of care? Get in touch by emailing hello@lshubwales.com.