Life Sciences Hub Wales welcomes the First Minister’s position that innovation in healthcare is central to ensuring that the culture of getting things done quickly in the health service during the coronavirus pandemic is not lost going forward.
In his first interview following the Senedd election, Professor Mark Drakeford AM said to Wales Online:
“And then innovation, making sure that all the things the health service has done so quickly to cope with coronavirus that we don’t lose that culture of getting things done quickly and doing things differently because to get the health service back on its feet, it can’t just be trying to go back to how things were before coronavirus ever began.”
Chief Executive Officer, Cari-Anne Quinn said:
“Life Sciences Hub Wales works with the health and social care sectors, academia and industry to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative solutions for better health and wellbeing.
“Over this last year, we have worked with local, national and international companies to support NHS Wales in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The life sciences sector is a key partner and enabler in supporting health services recover and rebuild from the pandemic, and at the same time deliver projects that have the potential to bring additional sustainable employment to Wales.”
In May 2019, speaking on Life Sciences Hub Wales podcast, Healthy Thinking, Professor Drakeford spoke about the importance of innovation within health provision as an important factor in helping to fight inequality:
“We know that there are people who fail to get their needs attended to who don’t speak up on their own behalf, whereas other people who are more resourced, better informed, somehow better equipped they get in early and get the treatment that they need.
“Where we can use innovation to erode those inequalities - then that innovation will have offered us not just a way of improving healthcare, but it will have helped us on the journey to a more equal Wales.”
Dr Chris Martin, interim Chair of Life Sciences Hub Wales, said:
“We look forward to working with the First Minister and his new government to drive forward our common vision of improving the health and care of all families across Wales through innovation.”