Thousands of people across Wales are currently studying for qualifications in health, social care and digital fields. How can we inspire them to apply their developing skillset to drive digital transformation and innovation?
Molly Baker
Project Lead and Management Trainee, Life Sciences Hub Wales.
My blog explores how Wales Institute of Digital Information (WIDI) are doing just this through initiatives like the Digital Technology in Health Conference. The event invited digital innovators and change makers to spark an interest in the power and impact of digital innovation in students at Cardiff and Vale College. Myself and Louise Baker (Project Lead) were also on the agenda to offer our own perspective.
Who did we hear from?
There were a fantastic variety of talks throughout the day. This included all the incredible innovation going on at the University of South Wales and its applications in the real world. Dr Mabrouka Abuhmida (Senior Lecturer in Computing) shone a light on artificial intelligence prototypes being created in house, including diagnosis pathway management and surveillance, smart hospital systems that automate GP calls and chatbots providing mental health support.
We were impressed that so much of this was completed with no budget and were mostly student projects. Such work highlights the impact you can have using digital transformation even whilst studying.
Simon Read (Senior Lecturer in Leading Digital) gave a great perspective on projects at the University that are bringing innovation to life. This includes collaborating with Hydra to undertake blue light exercises. He really emphasised the importance of cross-sector working – something which of course our own organisation understands the importance of.
Goggleminds also showcased their virtual reality educational tool, providing a live demonstration. They’ve create a medi-verse (similar to the metaverse found on Facebook) where you can practice interactions with patients who have a range of personalities to mimic real experience. We also were proud to have supported Goggleminds earlier in their innovation journey as part of the Accelerate Programme.
We also heard about exciting work going on in Health Boards. Alka Ahuja (Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist & National Clinical Lead at TEC Cymru) spoke about her work in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. She has supported on various projects that use technology to reduce self-harm and support other mental health presentations. She’s also created an eating disorder support app and worked on school-based projects to introduce remote monitoring.
What did we talk about?
Myself and Louise both relished the opportunity to share Life Sciences Hub Wales’ perspective on digital innovation. We highlighted our organisation’s role in this complex ecosystem and a few of the different projects we’ve supported, including QuicDNA, the All-Wales National Robotics-Assisted Surgery Programme and a digital medication management evaluation.
It was such a privilege to talk to the innovators of tomorrow and highlight our own journeys that have led us to working in this landscape. True collaboration requires people coming together with a diverse range of backgrounds and skillsets – and there are so many routes people can take to become digital innovators. It’s this diverse experience that can help us create meaningful solutions that make the most of everyone’s talents and expertise.
We hope some of the students at this event were inspired to start their first steps on this exciting pathway and help change the lives of people in Wales for the better. We really look forward to any upcoming events and working with WIDI in the future.
If you’d like to learn about how our team supports digital innovators to propel their solutions to the frontline of health and social care. Please get in touch by emailing hello@lshubwales.com.
Molly is a Welsh Government Management Graduate working across Health and Social Care with experience in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and their Emergency Department, the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust. She recently joined Life Sciences Hub Wales as a Project Lead in the programme delivery team.