The Welsh Government’s new mental health strategy is a moment of opportunity, with the potential to make substantial improvements to people’s mental health in Wales through making it easier to get the right support, at the right time.

In this session you’ll get insight into the current state of mental health in Wales from Mind Cymru’s Big Mental Health Report, 2025. A summary of the latest mental health data as well as feedback from 1,500 people will provide you with a view of what’s happening in Wales with mental health, and what the delivery priorities need to be.

This session is supported by Mind Cymru.

Join Health and Care Research Wales for a breakfast panel discussion highlighting the impact of recent UK Government and private sector investment in commercial research delivery. Discover how this funding aligns with NHS Wales priorities, improves patient outcomes and boosts system efficiency.

Expert speakers will outline strategic plans to foster research excellence, spotlight opportunities for industry and cross-specialty collaboration and demonstrate how research drives the Duty of Quality and supports long-term sustainability across NHS Wales.

This session is supported by Health and Care Research Wales.

Join senior leaders across Government and Health to explore how cost optimisation is reshaping NHS Wales. This session highlights practical strategies to reduce inefficiencies, reinvest savings into frontline care, and build financial resilience. Discover how smarter resource use, data-driven decisions, and integrated planning can unlock long-term value - making this a must attend for those leading the future of sustainable healthcare in Wales.

This session is supported by PwC.

This panel session will showcase the ‘Cardiff and Vale Post Coronary Revascularisation Lipid Optimisation Service‘, a secondary prevention CVD Collaborative Working Project, between CAVUHB, Novartis, Amgen, Recordati and Daiichi Sankyo, aiming for better patient outcomes, improved equity and access to services.

A panel including health board innovation expert, clinician and representatives from the pharmaceutical industry will discuss the merits of collaborative working, lessons learnt and key takeaways for those in the audience considering similar projects.

This session is supported by our event partner, Novartis.

Join us for a dynamic session exploring how Wales is harnessing the power of innovation to transform cancer care. From pioneering research and cutting-edge technologies to clinical demand signalling and collaborative NHS–industry partnerships, this session will highlight how system-wide efforts are accelerating the adoption and implementation of impactful solutions. Discover how stakeholders across the health, academic, and industry landscape are working together to meet clinical need and improve outcomes for people affected by cancer in Wales.

This session is supported by our event partner, Life Sciences Hub Wales.

The session will highlight the launch of our new Carer Aware e-learning resource packages for health care professionals.

The presentation will include an overview of the resource package and the modules included in both, the aims and objectives of the resource packages, the importance of being carer aware as well as an overview on how we developed the content and the number of universities that are onboarded with the programme.

This session is supported by Carers Wales & Carers Trust.

Health and social care systems are traumatised and overwhelmed. This session will hear about Platfform’s holistic, trauma-informed and relationship-based approaches, where people’s stories and wider circumstances are central to making sense of what’s happening and advocating for change together. You’ll hear how they’re capturing stories from people in the system – including an invitation to share your experiences – to shape how we shift from hopelessness to hopefulness, and look after each other in the process.

This session is supported by Platfform.

Digital transformation is only meaningful if every patient can benefit. Join Lesley Birkin and David Hewitt from North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust (NSCHT) to explore practical ways to remove barriers, widen access, and co-design with patients. They’ll share lessons from rolling out Digital Portal and Patient Engagement Apps, highlighting what worked, what didn’t, and how to support clinicians. Leave with insights for acute, community, and mental health services across Wales, plus next steps.

This session is supported by our event partner, Dedalus.

Session details TBC

Every year, 300,000 working-aged people across the UK leave the workforce due to ill health, undermining not only individual health and wellbeing but also our collective economic potential.

The message is clear: governments and public sector bodies cannot drive inclusive growth without putting health at the centre of their plans, and the NHS cannot improve population health alone. Health and prosperity are deeply intertwined and partnership working across all sectors is an essential component for progress in this space.

This session will ask delegates to discuss the NHS’s expanding role in local economies and how we can better collaborate with local government and other non-NHS partners to support health and wellbeing, drive inclusive growth and reduce health inequalities.

The NHS is Wales’ biggest employer, directly employing over 110,000 people and rising. Yet, in February 2025, NHS Wales reported over 5,000 full-time equivalent vacancies.

The NHS in Wales is navigating a complex landscape shaped by demographic shifts and evolving workforce expectations. With an ageing population, increasing workloads and evolving expectations, this session will explore how these shifts impact everything from recruitment and retention to staff wellbeing and workload.

We will go beyond the data to discuss the pulse of healthcare in Wales. We’ll ask how can the opportunities provided by new technology and changing demographics future-proof the health and care workforce? How can we shape and build a more resilient and sustainable health and care workforce equipped for the future?

It’s no secret that the NHS is a significant carbon emitter, contributing around 5% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. But a 2021 Health Foundation study revealed that only 44% of the UK public believed the NHS should be responsible for reducing carbon emissions, with most respondents prioritising reducing waiting times, increasing staffing and improving mental health services.

Across Wales, climate conscious healthcare is already taking place through several successful initiatives. But the Welsh NHS has committed to bold climate goals, aiming to cut emissions by 34% by 2030 and reach Net Zero by 2050, meaning organisations will need to go further and faster at a time when resources are more stretched than ever.

Can these green ambitions co-exist with the need for a responsive, efficient health service? Or could sustainability measures inadvertently impact patient care, waiting times or operational costs? Should the Welsh NHS prioritise patient care above all else, or can we successfully integrate environmentally sustainable practices without compromising service delivery?

This session invites the audience to discuss whether health and sustainability are competing priorities or if they can align to work towards shaping sustainable healthcare in Wales.

Health literacy is more than just understanding health information: it's about empowering individuals to effectively access, interpret and act on that information to make informed decisions about their health and care. It is therefore dependent on how effectively governments, organisations and health and care systems support this process by providing clear, accessible and relevant information and tackle inequalities.

Limited health literacy is linked to poor health, increased hospitalisations, low uptake of preventative services and reduced life expectancy. Investing in health literacy therefore pays dividends, equipping people to manage chronic conditions and engage in preventative activities.

As other nations lead the way with national strategies, this session asks delegates to discuss how Wales can place health literacy at the heart of efforts to create a healthier, more equitable society. And given the complexity of our healthcare system, how do we remove barriers and ensure equal access to health information?

People need better, more joined-up support and care in the community to live healthy lives and to make sure the health and care system is sustainable for the future. Yet despite good intentions, making this a reality under current constraints is far from easy. Solutions need to be drawn from across the health and care sector, public services and with local populations.

This session will ask the audience to debate how the NHS and partners could be flexible in supporting a more personalised service for patients and citizens, while helping to reduce demand on other parts of the system. How do we overcome these issues to enable the radical change needed in our communities?