08:00 AM
09:00 AM
Registration, Networking and Exhibition
09:00 AM
10:00 AM
Gwyn Tudor, MediWales, CEO
Victoria Heath,
Luella Trickett,
Infection Vaccine Clinical Trials in Wales
Professor Andrew Freedman,
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
Main Auditorium
Advanced Therapies: Equal Access, Engaged Patients - Centring the patient voice in the development and delivery of novel therapies.
This session will begin by introducing the audience to the world of Advanced Therapies—what they are, why they matter, and how organisations like Advanced Therapies Wales and the Midlands and Wales Advanced Therapies Treatment Centre (MW-ATTC) are working to develop the ecosystem to enable the eligible population of Wales to access them in an equitable way. We’ll also explore how meaningful public and patient involvement and engagement (PPIE) is shaping the future of these therapies, ensuring that development is guided by real-world needs and lived experiences. Following this, Jemin, a patient with lived experience of Beta Thalassemia Major, will take the audience on a personal journey—inviting them to step into the shoes of a patient and their family navigating the emotional and practical realities of complex therapy decision-making. Through storytelling, audience participation, and imaginative scenarios, Jemin will challenge assumptions and highlight the complexity of choices patients face. Expect a session that blends insight with empathy, and leaves a lasting impression on how we think about innovation, care, and the people at the heart of it.
John Lewis,
Jemin Popat,
Rachel Bruton,
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
Aylward Room
Social Care Wales: From Collaboration to Evidence - Integrated Social Care in Action
As health and social care services become more integrated, the need to understand what works—and why—has never been more important. This session brings together two perspectives from the front lines of innovation. First, we’ll hear from a practitioner leading integrated care projects within multidisciplinary teams, sharing real-world examples of how collaboration across services is improving outcomes for individuals and communities. Then, we’ll explore practical approaches to evaluating these kinds of initiatives, with a focus on how to generate meaningful evidence that supports learning, accountability, and future investment. Whether you're involved in service delivery, commissioning, or research, this session offers valuable insights into making integration work—and proving its impact. REM is flexible and works brilliantly to map the journey of an innovation with multiple partners. After a year of mapping, we are now starting to be able to evidence how policy/strategy and regional working facilitates the achievement of outcomes for people, services and organisations, and health locally are starting to use it themselves.
Session Lead
Private: Aimee Twinberrow,
Social Care Wales,
Digital Innovation Lead
Ripple Effects Mapping
Natalie Pryor,
Ripple Effects Mapping
Chloe Mangnall,
North Wales Regional Partnership Board,
Project Support Officer
Integrated projects across health and social care
Louise Baker,
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
Wilberforce Room
Digital Health and Care Wales: Data Driven Innovation - Unlocking Health Data within DHCW
Whether you're a researcher with a question, an SME who is looking to leverage data to support their innovation or a clinician with an idea, DHCW has the data and tools to support you. A deep dive into DHCW’s data request infrastructure—from intake and triage to secure data service. This session outlines how our Research & Innovation, Information Services, and Secure Data Environment teams work in harmony to support the technical, governance, and practical needs of data users across the NHS and beyond. Come along to find out how we can make access to data and analytical support easier for everyone.
Louisa Dean,
Gareth John,
Jennifer Selby,
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
Wallis Room
CEDAR: From Conception to Adoption - Collaborating to generate new evidence
Partnerships with industry and health boards are essential to generating evidence, from the early stages of project development, to implementation and adoption within healthcare pathways. Hear how CEDAR's partnerships are transforming healthcare and research across Wales, through a panel discussion exploring the approaches and evidence needed at different stages of development and adoption.
Chair
Dr Rhys Morris,
Panel Co-chair
Kathleen Withers,
Private: Adam Bryant, CanSense, CEO
RSA-PACE
Dr Sue Peirce,
POLARiS
Harriet Coxon-Meggy,
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
Barnardo Room
Business Support Session
Join the Business Support session for expert guidance across a wide range of topics, including regulatory compliance, international trade, funding opportunities and market access. You can also meet our Business Support speakers in our Innovation Cafe for personalised, one to one advice tailored to your business needs.
Julie Russell, Manager Inward Investment at Welsh Government, Business Development
Richard Harris, Welsh Government, Head of Trade
Matthew Jones,
Leanne Waring,
Mark Wyatt,
Iwan Palmer, Welsh Government, Innovation Specialist
Dr Bryan Griffiths,
11:30 AM
12:30 PM
Main Auditorium
Digital and AI Showcase
A dedicated session focussing on the latest digital and AI innovations to impact on health and care.
Bridging the Gap: Tackling Digital Exclusion in Maternity Services
Cheri Lewis,
Senior Midwifery Information Officer at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and a Florence Nightingale Foundation Emerging Strategic Leadership Scholar.
Asad Javied, Hartree Centre Cardiff Hub, Lead Data Scientist
Iain Trayner,
Postmodern EHR
Private: Brian Murray,
Better,
Sales Director UK&I
Introducing Synertec: Transforming Patient Communications
Suzanne Dawtrey,
AI For Fast & Early Lung Cancer Detection: RAPID-LC Project with ABUHB, CTMUHB & NIAW
Banu Bilgili,
Qure.ai,
Senior Manager - Client Success
11:30 AM
12:30 PM
Aylward Room
Implementing and Evaluating Mental Health Services
The first half of the session will focus on evaluating the self-harm and suicide prevention joint agency pathway, developed by BCUHB Specialist CAMHS and Denbighshire Local Authority Education Services in response to a demand for a safe way to manage self-harm in the community. The later half of the session will be discussion based. Attendees will be asked for their views on ways to embed a key enabler to the bold and ambitious strategic direction for Mental Health Services for Wales, through Wales' soon to be established Mental Health Research and Evidence Network.
Service evaluation of the self-harm and suicide prevention joint agency pathway
Jessica Atkinson,
Service evaluation of the self-harm and suicide prevention joint agency pathway
Kathryn Nash,
Denbighshire Local Authority,
Principal Educational Psychologist, Manager of the Counselling Service
Charlotte Thomas, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, National Programme Lead - Strategic Programme for Mental Health
11:30 AM
12:30 PM
Wilberforce Room
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board: The Endoscopy Challenge - Industry and NHS working together for change
This session explores how cross-sector collaboration—spanning funders, industry partners, procurement, innovation, and clinicians—came together for the Endoscopy Challenge. Here we will be highlighting key insights from each perspective and demonstrating how partnership and shared purpose can drive valuable, enjoyable, and successful outcomes.
Session Lead
Zoe Hilton,
Cardiff Health Partners,
Programme Manager
Clinical picture
Jennifer Waterman,
Procurement process
Sam Salisbury,
IQ perspective
Tom Kahan,
Cardiff Capital Region Perspective
Owen Wilce,
11:30 AM
12:30 PM
Wallis Room
Health and Care Research Wales Stream - Welsh Company Showcase
Health and Care Research Wales is working to position Wales as a leading and trusted location for commercial research through closer industry collaboration. Central to this effort is the work of the Industry Advisory Group, which is guiding the development of a national action plan focused on three key areas; clinical trials, medtech, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital and Social care. This stream will explore how Wales is tackling barriers to effective industry engagement, particularly in the medtech and digital health sectors. A collaborative mapping project led by MediWales aims to address these Insights from this work will directly inform strategic planning. The stream will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to and learn, ensuring the needs and ambitions of partners are integrated into the future of Welsh health and care research.
Chair: Welsh Company Showcase
Paul Hole,
James Hindley,
Making Hormone Testing Smarter: How industry and academia are collaborating to validate an AI-driven approach to Women’s Health
Sarah Bolt,
Making Hormone Testing Smarter: How industry and academia are collaborating to validate an AI-driven approach to Women’s Health
Private: Paulina Pasik,
Swansea University,
Research Associate
Matt Bambery,
Prof Alan Parker,
When NHS meets industry - Patient study collaboration, past, present and future
Danielle Webb,
When NHS meets industry - Patient study collaboration, past, present and future
Laura Luddington,
11:30 AM
12:30 PM
Barnardo Room
NHS Market Access Session
This session offers guidance for life sciences, medtech, and digital health companies on navigating regulation, evidence requirements, and clinical engagement to successfully introduce innovations into the health service.
Luella Trickett,
Mark Briggs, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Assistant Director for Innovation
Victoria Wilbraham-Mitchell,
Martyn Lewis,
12:30 PM
01:30 PM
Main Auditorium
Innovation Showcase
Showcasing clinical innovations which are transforming health and social care.
Tom Ringham,
Amotio: Revolutionising Orthopaedic Revision Surgery
Iestyn Foster,
Luke Burke,
SGS CDMO Solutions: Building Growth and Maintaining Customer Excellence
Paul Broomhead,
Nelson Ker,
Chris Malone, Luscii, UK Managing Director
12:30 PM
01:30 PM
Aylward Room
Velindre University NHS Trust: Innovation in Cancer Care - Opportunities for collaboration
The new Velindre Cancer Centre opens in April 2027. A key element of that is our Collaborative Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation – a physical and virtual resource to help connect a wide range of teams involved in cancer and deliver improvements through collaborative education, research, innovation and involvement. We'd like this exciting development to be more than just physical - and one which starts to deliver the benefits prior to 2027. This workshop will update you on progress and give you opportunity to shape the project and its outputs, helping to deliver greater value and benefits for everyone involved.
Session Lead
Jennet Holmes,
Velindre University NHS Trust,
Head of Innovation
Dr Mick Button, Velindre University NHS Trust, Associate Medical Director
12:30 PM
01:30 PM
Wilberforce Room
Hywel Dda University Health Board: Evidence and Value Creation in the NHS - Enhancing insights, impact, and uptake for patients, healthcare providers, and industry
TriTech Partnerships between health, industry, and academia are crucial in tackling real-world health challenges, especially in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. By combining expertise, sharing knowledge, and pooling resources, these collaborations are transforming healthcare across Wales and significantly improving lives worldwide.
Session lead
Professor Chris Hopkins,
Strategic Partnerships and real-world evaluations (AstraZeneca, AMGEN)
Matthew Lawrence,
National Evaluations (Institute of Clinical Science and Technology)
Gareth Davies,
Research projects
Zohra Omar,
The Clinical "why"?
Keir Lewis,
12:30 PM
01:30 PM
Barnardo Room
Regulatory Session
This session offers practical guidance on navigating the regulatory requirements for medical device development, focusing on both organisational strategies and product-specific compliance needs.
Medtech Success: Practical Insights with Regulatory Focus
Professor Laurie Rowe,
Parallels between regulatory and commercial strategy
Tom Campbell,
Medtech regulatory requirements for privacy and cybersecurity
Radharamanan Hariharan,
12:30 PM
01:30 PM
Wallis Room
Health and Care Research Wales Stream - MedTech Support Panel
Health and Care Research Wales is working to position Wales as a leading and trusted location for commercial research through closer industry collaboration. Central to this effort is the work of the Industry Advisory Group, which is guiding the development of a national action plan focused on three key areas; clinical trials, medtech, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital and Social care. This stream will explore how Wales is tackling barriers to effective industry engagement, particularly in the medtech and digital health sectors. A collaborative mapping project led by MediWales aims to address these Insights from this work will directly inform strategic planning. The stream will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to and learn, ensuring the needs and ambitions of partners are integrated into the future of Welsh health and care research.
Chair
Carys Thomas,
Lydia Vitolo,
Iwan Palmer, Welsh Government, Innovation Specialist
Private: Andrew Barber, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Senior Programme Manager
Debbie Laubach,
James Hindley,
Sarah Bolt,
Matt Bambery,
02:30 PM
03:30 PM
Main Auditorium
Keynote Plenary: Global Health - Management of non-communicable diseases in fragile, conflict and post conflict settings.
Delivering care for people with NCDs in humanitarian settings
Chair
Dr Susannah Stanway,
Zoe Hilton, Cardiff Health Partners, Programme Manager
Dr Mohammad Alhadj Ali, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Consultant Physician
Dr Ibtihal Fadhil,
Dr Nazik Hammad,
03:30 PM
04:30 PM
Main Auditorium
Cardiff Cancer Research Hub: How partnership working between the NHS and academia is driving new research
Hear from the Cardiff Cancer Research Hub (CCRH) team about what the partnership between Velindre University NHS Trust, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Cardiff University will bring to the people of Wales. The team will be showcasing some of their groundbreaking trials and talking about how the CCRH brings together globally recognised clinical and academic excellence to improve patient access in Wales.
Overview of CCRH
Rhydian Owen,
Case Study 1: ATTEST (translational research)
Prof Alan Parker,
Case Study 1: ATTEST (translational research)
Dr Magda Meissner,
Case Study 2: Iovance (cell therapy trial in solid cancer)
Claire Lang,
Case Study 2: Iovance (cell therapy trial in solid cancer)
Gabriella Brutto,
Case Study 3: Monumental (Haematology)
Dr Ceri Bygrave,
Case Study 3: Monumental (Haematology)
Katie Gilmour,
Future Plan: The cancer immunotherapy time-of-day trial
Dr Philip Savage,
Next steps and how to get involved with CCRH
Rhydian Owen,
Rhodri Griffiths,
Dr Rob Orford,
03:30 PM
04:30 PM
Aylward Room
Dragon's Heart Institute: The Model for Unleashing – a novel approach to Spread & Scale
Discover a novel approach to spreading and scaling innovation or best practice in this interactive workshop. Learn the fundamentals of the Model for Unleashing—a proven methodology blending practical tools, leadership development, and system-level thinking to drive impactful change at scale. The Dragon’s Heart Institute team will give you a taste of both the technical skills and inner development work needed to help scale your project across your organisation, your system and beyond
Bryn Kentish, Dragon’s Heart Institute, Cardiff and Vale UHB, Programme Manager
Huw Griffiths, Dragon's Heart Institute, Head of Dragon's Heart Institute
03:30 PM
04:30 PM
Wilberforce Room
Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust: Emergency and Urgent Care Research
This session will showcase the Research and Innovation currently taking place within the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust (WAST). This includes presentations on research involving End of Life Care, complex decision making in the dispatch system, a service evaluation of the ‘APP Navigator’ role within Wales and research into probiotics and how they can support the well-being of healthcare workers during winter.
Session Lead
Professor Nigel Rees QAM,
Dr Chris Moore,
Ed Harry,
Kerry Robertshaw, Welsh Ambulance Service University Trust, Consultant Paramedic - Urgent Care
Private: Cendl Xanthe, Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust , Clinical Research and Innovation Officer
Lauren Williams,
Professor Jo Angouri,
Dr Shawnea S. P. Ting, University of Warwick, Healthcare Researcher, Sociolinguist, Interaction Scientist
Lyba Nadeem, University of Warwick, Research Assistant
Dr Daniel John,