Blogs

It's been half a decade since we transformed our organisation into a dynamic interface dedicated to propelling the delivery of life science innovation to health and social care’s frontline. I’d like to take this opportunity to share our journey so far and our future aspirations...

As digital innovation gains momentum, Aimee Twinberrow, Digital Innovation Lead for Social Care Wales, explores the reality of digital exclusion across Wales. She explores what needs to happen to make sure that people in Wales can benefit from innovative digital technologies, identifying the unique challenges faced by social care and exploring the exciting projects taking place to create opportunities to build digital equality within social care.

We consider precision medicine a non-negotiable part of future healthcare. It holds the potential to change the way we diagnose, treat, and prevent detrimental diagnoses that have huge impact on patients, families, friends, and communities across Wales.

Bob McClean, Chief Commercial Officer, Kinsetsu, shares how making financial savings in healthcare through using technologies like the Internet Of Things can also drive environmental efficiencies in our latest guest blog.

Once again, the NHS ConfedExpo proved to be a remarkable event this year! We thoroughly enjoyed connecting with like-minded partners and immersing ourselves in a diverse range of inspiring and insightful discussions on advancing health and social care outcomes. This blog delves into the key highlights and takeaways I gathered from this fantastic event.

The All-Wales National Robotics Assisted Surgery Programme is part of a wider ambition to improve outcomes for cancer patients across Wales. In a guest blog, James Ansell, Colorectal Surgeon for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, explains why we should be excited about this dynamic approach and how robotic assisted surgeries are changing lives and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

Our Big Data Event, delivered in partnership with Digital Health Ecosystem Wales, The National Data Resource and Advanced Analytics, was a fantastic opportunity to hear powerful evidence of data integration transforming health and social care, practical advice on using data in our everyday work, and inspiration on how to think differently about data.

"...collaboration between healthcare and industry continues to offer opportunities for solutions. More than ever, we must nurture the collaborative efforts of the life sciences sector. And the UK, and Wales in particular, have reason to be bold about our ability to do so."

Last November we hosted Palantir and Google alongside other key data industry experts at Life Sciences Hub Wales. In a series of panel discussions, we explored how data is becoming ever more crucial for transforming health and social care and improving patient outcomes.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board are currently trialling a digital medication management technology to empower people, improve health outcomes, and work toward streamlining health service delivery across Bridgend.

From early unmet need, design, prototyping and clinical trials to real-world clinical evaluations, the NHS brings a new opportunity for Med Tech companies through the TriTech Institute.

Foreign Policy recently released a publication that focussed on the opportunities of working within Wales and the strengths of our Welsh economy. Life Sciences Hub Wales was also featured, where I was delighted to author a piece exploring Wales' strong reputation for healthcare innovation.

In a guest blog to mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, Julie Harris, Consultant Antimicrobial Pharmacist at Swansea Bay University Health Board, explores the impact of antimicrobial resistance, how primary and secondary care in Wales is addressing it, and what innovators can do to support healthcare.

It’s an exciting time to be working across digital innovation in Wales, where we’re engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders including health, social care, industry, government and academia. Curious to know what this is like? Our latest blog gives an insight into a recent meeting we hosted to strengthen the ties between Irish and Welsh innovators.

Whether you’re a company developing new technologies to enhance patient outcomes or your business focusses on refining an existing product or service to improve efficiency, you are likely entitled to R&D tax credits.

Last week our team travelled to Liverpool, flying the flag for Wales at this year’s NHS ConfedExpo. Here, I was delighted to give a talk at the AHSN Innovation Stand, providing a Welsh perspective on innovation in health and social care. 

Ahead of the launch of Life Sciences Hub Wales’ Precision Medicine Challenges, we’ve set out a brief history of precision medicine and its prospects.

From virtual tours to mentoring through to placements, you can help develop the next cohort of life scientists and access a talented pool of graduates.

There are organisations, research and resources that can support those embarking, or progressing on their innovation journey. However, with so much information available, where does one start? Last year, I worked for Life Sciences Hub Wales and a range of cross-sector thought leaders to try and make this process easier.   

It’s not an understatement to say that for the pharmaceutical industry, innovation is everything. The sector is entirely driven by it, from early-stage research through to transforming production processes. But it’s not innovation for innovation’s sake. It is innovation with a focus on what can be achieved to improve the public and individual health of our citizens.

It can be difficult to know where to start when gathering insights and information about your chosen sector. Life Sciences Hub Wales can support this through the services offered by our dedicated sector intelligence team.

Find out about what the Ecosystem has achieved in the first three years!

We’re delighted to launch Life Sciences Hub Wales’ new Achieving Innovation resource. This will equip stakeholders working across industry and health and social care with an evolving suite of resources, best practices and information to support their innovation journey.

Dr John Boulton, Director for NHS Quality Improvement and Patient Safety and Improvement Cymru, explores the important of organisational culture and how we can integrate improvement and innovation.

Miles Burrows, Managing Director, UK and Ireland, of PerkinElmer explores how those working across industry can help to transform our health and social care systems.