Our purpose
Making life better for people in Wales
500,000+ patients benefitting from electronic prescriptions across Wales.
Faster cancer diagnoses with QuicDNA liquid biopsies.
22 companies supported through the Health+ programme.
£20,000 awarded to support innovation in women’s cancer care.
7 clinical workshops
delivered across Wales to identify priority innovation needs.
Tackling Cancer Initiative
Accelerating the adoption of proven new cancer treatments
Wales has a clear and ambitious vision for transforming cancer outcomes: giving Welsh patients the best possible quality of life, improved survival rates, and faster access to diagnosis and treatment. Backed by Welsh Government, the Tackling Cancer Initiative aims to transform cancer outcomes in Wales by accelerating the adoption of proven new treatments and innovative technologies that can help address waiting lists and improve clinical referral pathways.
We lead on innovation adoption, collaborative working, and clinical engagement within the Programme. Insights about emerging cancer innovations, from surgical advances to digital triage and telemedicine solutions, are fed into a structured national pipeline, where findings are explored and validated by clinical leads before proposals for national adoption are developed. This collaborative approach, working closely with health boards across Wales, ensures that innovations are matched to real service pressures and patient needs, for both now and the long term.
Cancer Site Groups have been developed to bring together clinical experts across Wales to guide cancer policy, share best practice, and support consistent, high‑quality care for each cancer type. To support the Tackling Cancer Initiative, we led on clinical engagement work to provide clear direction of priority areas of innovation to support. 7 workshops across 5 Cancer Sites were completed, with 127 NHS professionals engaged to understand how best to support the system. These engagements allowed for further understanding of the challenges and opportunities in each of the cancer sites.
This year, we also introduced our Working Together Framework. The Framework is a clear, practical guide that helps us build the right partnerships in the right way, ensuring every collaboration is purposeful, well‑governed, and aligned with its mission across all areas of work.
“People affected by cancer deserve timely access to the very best ideas and innovations, wherever they live in Wales. The aim of this work is to ensure people affected by cancer gain earlier access to the innovations that will have the greatest impact on their care, whether that’s new tests, equipment, ways of delivering treatment, or improvements to patient experience. This will help us to identify which innovations can make the biggest difference to patients and supporting earlier access across the system.”
Professor Iolo Doull, Medical Director at NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee
Patients accessing innovation
Making digital prescribing part of everyday care across Wales
Now in its final stage of delivery, the Community Pharmacy System Innovation Fund (CPSIF) has made a significant difference to patients and pharmacies across Wales by supporting the roll out of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
This means prescriptions can be sent electronically, directly from a GP to a pharmacy, creating a speedier and safer experience for patients.
More than half a million people in Wales and 81% of Welsh pharmacies are now benefitting from EPS. This is creating a more connected and efficient pharmacy system, helping to lower the environmental footprint of healthcare, and strengthening Wales’ position as a leader in digital health.
Our involvement in CPSIF brings partners across health and social care together, working with Digital Health and Care Wales and Welsh Government to support a more connected and efficient system.
Macmillan Partnership
Tackling variation in cancer care across Wales, together
Everyone in Wales should be able to access the best possible cancer care. However, outcomes in Wales currently lags behind other UK nations. Our newly launched partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support will accelerate innovation and ensure best practice is shared.
During 2025, a range of stakeholders including Cancer Research UK, Cardiff University, Health and Care Research Wales and Moondance Cancer Initiative, and individuals affected by cancer joined us online and at events across Wales to help shape our priorities for this work. During this discovery phase, we’re exploring the unwanted variation in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes that currently exists across Wales, and identifying approaches that can be scaled across the Welsh health system.
“At Macmillan, we believe everyone with cancer should have access to the very best that cancer care has to offer. Our exciting partnership with Life Sciences Hub Wales will hopefully help us to begin addressing the inequalities that exist in the system right now, while making sure that innovative new solutions and approaches are given the best possible chance to be adopted as quickly as possible right across Wales. Together, we want to make sure that everyone with cancer, no matter who they are or where they live, can receive the best possible care.”
Kate Williams, Nation Lead for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales
Academy of Medical Sciences Cross-Sector Programme
Improving outcomes and experiences for women with cancer
Our partnership with the Academy of Medical Sciences has focussed on supporting innovation in women’s cancer care, with awards made through a £20,000 accelerator fund.
The two winners used their funding to consult with patients and the public about innovations they’re working on, enabling them to progress projects to the next stage. CanSense is developing a liquid biopsy blood test for the early detection of ovarian and endometrial cancers, and at Swansea University, the Cari-O Project is finding solutions to the osteoporosis risk in women arising from cancer treatments, menopause-related hormonal changes, and long-term medications.
Life Sciences Hub Wales and M-SParc
Sparking health and care innovation across north Wales
Our new strategic partnership with M-SParc is strengthening innovation across north Wales and addressing regional inequalities in access to innovation support.
By aligning expertise and building networks across north Wales, we’re creating clearer pathways for innovators seeking to engage with health and care services. An important conference in the autumn provided a regional platform for collaboration and learning.
We also helped deliver the Health+ programme, working as part of a cross-sector panel to provide tailored advice to 22 companies in north Wales. Six of these applicants were then chosen to receive direct support to progress their innovations towards adoption.
“Over the past year we’ve worked in partnership with Life Sciences Hub Wales to strengthen healthcare innovation, engagement and industry support for entrepreneurs and innovators across north Wales.
As Wales’ first dedicated science park, we support a diverse ecosystem of companies across multiple sectors, with med-tech becoming an increasingly important focus for us. Our collaboration with Life Sciences Hub Wales adds real value to both our organisation and the companies we support as they grow and evolve.
Together, we’re committed to identifying new innovation opportunities and supporting the development of solutions that can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health and social care in Wales and beyond.”
Pryderi ap Rhisiart, Managing Director, M-SParc
QuicDNA MAX
Using cutting-edge liquid biopsy to diagnose cancer
QuicDNA MAX is a cross-sector collaboration that’s transforming how cancer is diagnosed in Wales by expanding the use of liquid biopsy. Already used for lung cancer, this non-invasive test analyses tiny fragments of tumour DNA in a blood sample, enabling accurate and fast decisions about treatment. For patients, the impact is profound – critical test results arrive fast, allowing treatment to begin much sooner.
DNA testing also shows whether cancer will respond to targeted medication, meaning more options for treatment. This work is laying the foundations for a future where liquid biopsy becomes a standard part of cancer care in Wales. As one of several partners supporting the launch communications for QuicDNA MAX, we’re helping to demonstrate the power of cross-sector collaboration to accelerate innovation into frontline services and improve outcomes across Wales.
“[This] demonstrates the transformative potential of rapid ctDNA analysis. The psychological impact of waiting for diagnostic results cannot be overestimated; this can be a source of very understandable concern for many patients and families who without ctDNA results may wait patiently for weeks at such a difficult time.”
Dr Paul Shaw, Consultant in Clinical Oncology, Velindre Cancer Service
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