Mission 4: Drive better value and outcomes through innovation

The Research and Innovation (R&I) function has played an active role in delivering projects that generate measurable benefits for patients, clinicians, and the broader healthcare system. This year has been a period of significant growth and achievement for the R&I team at Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW). Guided by our strategic aims, we have expanded our impact and strengthened our commitment to fostering excellence in digital health research and innovation across Wales.

A key focus has been establishing and enhancing the infrastructure needed to support digital health research. We have contributed to national priorities, including supporting the development of the all-Wales Innovation Framework and representing DHCW at the National Innovation Leads Group and the Health and Care Research Wales Data for Research Working Group. To further our understanding of available resources, we work closely with DHCW’s Information Services to map data assets, explore their potential uses, and assess the skill sets within our organisation.

To maximise the impact of our work on service improvement and health outcomes, our robust governance processes ensure that R&I activities are of high quality and aligned with both healthcare system priorities and DHCW’s strategic objectives. A key initiative this year has been the development of the R&I Learning and Development Framework for DHCW staff. This framework provides a structured approach to addressing workforce needs, supporting digital and clinical research initiatives at practitioner, foundation, and awareness levels. As part of the Integrated Medium-Term Plan (2023–2026), it leverages existing resources, fosters partnerships with organisations such as the Welsh Institute for Digital Information, and empowers local R&I champions to share knowledge. Our commitment to prioritisation ensures that resources are directed towards areas of highest need and impact.

We have successfully maintained our UK Statistical Authority (UKSA) Digital Economy Act (DEA) 2017 Accreditation. The R&I function coordinated and oversaw the review process for DHCW’s re-accreditation as a Trusted Third Party (TTP) provider of data through Swansea University's SAIL databank. Our organisation was assessed against several security and capability controls, ensuring that SAIL can expand its research capabilities while enabling DHCW to receive additional datasets.

By enhancing access to resources and tools, we are building a strong foundation for researchers and innovators across Wales to drive advancements in healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. Collaboration has been at the heart of this progress. This year, DHCW R&I actively engaged with a diverse network of partners across academia, industry, and healthcare. We developed a communication and engagement plan to strengthen strategic alliances with universities and research institutions, fostering an interdisciplinary approach to digital health challenges. Through these partnerships, we amplify the reach and effectiveness of our innovations, bringing together key stakeholders to address critical healthcare issues. We recognise that impactful research and innovation depend on strong, effective partnerships with organisations that share our values and goals. These collaborations enable us to co-develop and co-deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the healthcare sector.

We are also seizing opportunities to present at national and international events, expanding our presence in the wider R&I landscape in Wales. DHCW is actively represented on various groups, committees, and boards, including the Innovation Leads Group, Bevan Commission Fellowship Steering Group and Health and Care Research Wales R&D Directors’ meetings.

Through these efforts, we continue to drive meaningful innovation, ensuring that research and technological advancements translate into tangible benefits for healthcare services and the people of Wales.

The NHS Wales e-Library provides a high-quality, user-led service to promote evidence-based practice and empower NHS Wales to improve and innovate. It is accessible by all 112,000+ NHS Wales employees along with contract holders, volunteers and organisations commissioned to deliver care to patients, registered social care workers and social care managers, hospice workers, retired NHS Wales employees, students on placement, Welsh Government departments and Welsh Government funded or sponsored organisations that provide health and social care services or information to support health and social care service delivery.

Due to the login methods, the e-Library cannot identify the actual number of people who utilise the nationally procured digital resources, but it can provide usage data. As at the 31st March 2025, a total of 6910 OpenAthens accounts were recorded, 153 of those based in social care.

DHCW aims to deliver a world-class national information and analytics service that supports effective, efficient and safer decision-making. This is achieved by providing access to rich, person-focused health and care data. The goal is to create an environment full of information assets and resources that not only meet the evolving needs of the health system in Wales but also support research and innovation.

A key priority for DHCW’s information and analytics service is the migration and maintenance of national datasets onto the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Work is underway to develop modern processes for acquiring and processing data from health boards, trusts, and other external organisations, ultimately reducing the reliance on the legacy NHS Wales Data Switching Service (NWDSS). Once complete, data will be uploaded directly to the Google Cloud Platform where it will be automatically validated and processed, including error checks, error reports and loaded into BigQuery, Google’s big data analysis tool. This transition is part of a broader effort to enhance data storage, organisation, and querying within BigQuery, ensuring that both new and old datasets are combined efficiently for easy access by analysts. A specific “data science” project has been established within GCP, where analysts explore pseudonymised national datasets, and learning sessions are held for teams to enhance data analysis capabilities.

DHCW has also focused on improving user engagement with its resources. Redesigned websites now offer a better user experience and increased visibility of publications and services. Statistical publications and data products have been expanded to include more detailed reports on hospital admissions, planned care, and secondary care activities, providing healthcare providers with better tools for decision-making. This increased transparency further solidifies DHCW’s position as an official statistics-producing body. Additionally, DHCW has established a Power BI design group and a Statistical Analysis Group to improve best practices in publishing and statistics.

As part of our role as an Official Statistics Producing Body, DHCW works closely with the Welsh Government and other official statistics organisations to ensure that data is accurate, complete, and aligned with national health priorities. This collaboration also ensures that the data reported is of high quality and adheres to the established code of practice.

The Primary Care Information Portal (PCIP) plays a crucial role in supporting General Practice (GP), GP Clusters, Local Health Boards (LHBs), and the Welsh Government. The PCIP offers advanced visualisations, analytics, and allows for the uploading of documents for evidence of activity or compliance. Over the past nine years, the portal has grown significantly, offering over fifty “tiles” for users to access. In 2024, focus was placed on supporting GMS contract requirements, including modifications to the GMS Contract Assurance Framework and the creation of new dashboards for Practice Managers and LHBs to track performance.

Custom requests for data held in the DHCW Data Warehouse