Digital Health and Care Wales in the news

Winter 2025-2026 respiratory infection pressures in Wales are projected to peak at different weeks for admissions, ED visits, and GP consultations, with RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 showing distinct peak timings.

NHS Wales reported on ambulance response changes, emergency department pressures, treatment waiting times, and cancer service performance for July-August 2025.

NHS England and partners are advancing digital health initiatives including patient feedback, AI in midwifery education, remote care frameworks, and voice tech for primary care, while private doctors lag NHS in AI scribe adoption.

The Welsh Nursing Care Record digital system is fully implemented across Wales inpatient wards, enhancing nursing practice and patient care.

HEIW is introducing HALI, an AI chatbot mentor, to train Welsh healthcare professionals on safe, ethical, and practical AI use starting autumn 2025.

Digital Health and Care Wales is exploring ambient voice technology and digital triage solutions to enhance primary care efficiency and patient care, planning a contract from 2026.

Digital Health and Care Wales is gathering supplier information for a digital triage primary care solution contract valued up to £500k over two years.

NHS Wales in mid-2025 faces rising emergency demand, extended treatment and diagnostic waits, and ambulance response challenges, with performance below key targets and significant regional variation.

Welsh NHS partners created cloud dashboards to visualize and predict hospital patient flows, aiding demand and capacity planning.

NHS Wales reported a 5.2% vacancy rate across staff groups as of March 2025, with significant variation by staff type and organisation, including an 11% vacancy rate at Digital Health and Care Wales.

A DHCW representative actively promoted digital nursing and AI discussions at RCN Congress, gaining interest in digital roles and reinforcing commitment to digital health advancement in nursing.

NHS Wales introduced three free diabetes apps to support prevention and self-management, complementing existing programs and aiming to improve care equity.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is exploring a clinical noting digital solution to improve interoperability and digital maturity ahead of a potential national EHR rollout.

Wales has launched four national health data feeds through NDAP to streamline data sharing with Digital Health and Care Wales, though concerns remain about DHCW's programme delivery capacity.

A new app helps people with dementia and their carers maintain confidence and daily routines through personalized videos and planning tools.

Powys Teaching Health Board is implementing Better's electronic prescribing system to digitize medication management, improve patient safety, and streamline clinical workflows as part of a national digital health initiative in Wales.

NHS Wales’ ideological preference for public-sector digital health solutions delays adoption of proven private-sector technologies, worsening patient wait times and care outcomes.

Welsh government escalated concerns over Digital Health and Care Wales' delays in delivering major digital health programmes, especially in eye care, and plans increased oversight and support.

Wales faces delays and challenges in digitally transforming eye care services, with slow rollout of electronic records and financial and staffing constraints.

Digital Health and Care Wales is experiencing delays in rolling out digital eye care services, with full implementation postponed beyond the original 2023 deadline due to infrastructure challenges and the pandemic.