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Building Connected Care: Reflections from our Cardiff event and an invitation to join us in Llandudno

03 March 2026

On 24 February, we welcomed a wide mix of people from across the social care sector to our first Building Connected Care event in Cardiff. Practitioners, managers, digital colleagues and support staff all came together to explore how better information sharing can support the people of Wales and to help shape what that future should look like.

The day brought energy, honesty and enthusiasm. It also highlighted how much appetite there is across the sector for co‑production, shared data standards and more joined‑up digital systems.

Here’s a look back at how the day unfolded.

Setting the scene: Why we’re here

Emma Jackson, our Assistant Director for Digital, Data and Technology, opened the day by welcoming attendees and giving a clear overview of the work already underway. She spoke about where we’ve come from, what we’re currently building, and our long‑term ambitions to modernise the way information is used and shared across social care.

Her introduction grounded the day in reality: we know the current landscape can be fragmented. We know that important information doesn’t always reach the right person at the right time. And we know that change has to be shaped with, not simply for the people who use it.

Inspiration and momentum: Transform Wales

Next, we heard from guest speaker, Ann Kempster, Digital Leader from Transform Wales. Ann brought energy to the room, sharing how Transform Wales approaches digital transformation in public services. She spoke about the importance of doing things with people at the centre, and how successful digital change depends on understanding the human experience behind every process.

Her session set a strong tone for the rest of the day: ambitious, people‑focused and collaborative.

Diving deeper: the programmes shaping social care’s digital future

Owen Davies, our Head of Strategic Data Programmes, then took attendees deeper into the work happening in social care across Wales to improve how we collect, use and share social care data.

He introduced two programmes featured on our Insight Collective:

The National Data Resource (NDR)

The NDR aims to bring health and social care information together in a safe, secure and consistent way. Its aim is to make it easier for professionals to access the information they need, when they need it, to support better outcomes across Wales.

Read more about the NDR here

The Connecting Care Programme

Connecting Care is an ambitious digital programme that will make it possible to use data more effectively across social care. The programme explores how we can improve the way we use data and technology to support people who use social care, and make it easier for the people who provide social care to deliver it.

Read more about Connecting Care here

These programmes work together to make information more consistent, more connected and more useful across health and social care. An overview presentation was shared on the day, setting out the big picture and showing how the different strands link and support one another.

Read more about the overview here

Owen emphasised that we cannot do this work alone. To deliver this change, we’re working with a range of suppliers who bring specialist skills, tools and experience. This led directly into the collaborative workshop sessions that followed.

Workshops: exploring challenges and possibilities together

After a break, attendees joined two rounds of workshops covering topics from data standards to AI to local support services.

These included:

  • Answer Digital: a friendly, non‑technical introduction to FHIR the standard used to help digital systems talk to each other
  • BetterGov: discussions about the barriers to using shared data standards, and what gets in the way
  • Mimulus: an exploration of 'Service Elevator', looking at how we could bring more visibility and structure to local and third‑sector support
  • ProMo Cymru: hands on testing of new bilingual bite‑sized resources designed to promote safe use of AI in social care.

The sessions were lively, practical and reflective. Many people shared real frustrations with missing information, delayed updates or systems that don’t talk to each other as well as ideas for how things could be improved.

What we heard: shared challenges and aspirations

Co‑production matters

Attendees were clear: this work must be shaped collaboratively, with real voices from across the sector. People appreciated being asked, listened to and involved.

Shared data is essential

There was strong agreement that better information sharing will improve outcomes for people and help staff do their jobs more effectively. Nobody underestimated the scale of the challenge. Many called it a 'mammoth task', but there was a collective belief that it’s the right direction.

A sector eager to connect

One of the most positive aspects of the day was the mix of people in the room. Practitioners, digital specialists, safeguarding teams, support workers and managers were able to connect, talk openly and share experiences. This cross‑sector collaboration is exactly what’s needed to build a system that works for everyone.

Join us in Llandudno on 17 March

If you couldn’t join us in Cardiff, or if you’d like to continue the conversation, we’ll be running the same session again in Llandudno on 17 March.

You’ll hear similar presentations, take part in workshops, and have another chance to share your experiences and ideas. Lunch and refreshments are provided.

Sign up via our registration form here

Together, we can build a more connected approach to care, one that supports workers, strengthens decisions and improves outcomes for people across Wales.

We hope to see you there.