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Building Connected Care: Reflections from our Llandudno event

25 March 2026

On 17 March, we brought our Building Connected Care event to Venue Cymru in Llandudno and were welcomed by unexpected but very welcome sunshine along the seafront. Following our first session in Cardiff, this second event gave us another opportunity to hear from people across social care in north Wales about their experiences of information sharing and their hopes for the future. Across both events, we were pleased to welcome over 75 attendees from right across the sector.

As in Cardiff, we were joined by a rich mix of practitioners, managers, safeguarding colleagues, digital teams and support staff. That breadth of experience created space for meaningful conversations and honest reflection about what needs to change.

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

A warm welcome to start the day

The day opened with a welcome from Lisa Trigg, our Director of Service Support and Improvement. Lisa set the scene by reflecting on why improving the way we share information matters for both the people who use care and the people who deliver it.

She also talked about the wider improvement work across Social Care Wales, and how this programme of work fits into that bigger picture. By strengthening the way information flows across social care, we can reduce duplication, support better decisions and create the conditions for continuous improvement across the sector.

Lisa emphasised that a more connected approach to data must be shaped with the sector itself, and that events like this ensure the work is grounded in real‑world experience and needs.

Exploring digital transformation across Wales

We then heard from Ann Kempster, Digital Leader from Transform Wales. Ann brought energy and clarity to the room, describing how digital transformation in public services works best when it is centred on people, co‑production and understanding context.

Her message resonated strongly: change is only meaningful when those affected are involved in shaping it.

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.

Hands‑on exploration through workshops

Attendees then took part in two rounds of practical workshops, each offering a space to explore challenges and potential solutions from different angles. The sessions included:

  • Answer Digital: a plain‑English introduction to FHIR and how standardised formats support better information sharing.
  • BetterGov: conversations about the barriers to shared data standards and what needs to be improved.
  • Mimulus: two sessions focused on supporting change: 'Leading the Mindset Shift' and 'Service Elevator'. The sessions explored how teams can embrace new ways of working and how local and third‑sector services can be surfaced and connected more effectively.

These workshops prompted thoughtful discussion, with people sharing familiar frustrations and creative ideas. Many said the opportunity to speak openly with both peers and suppliers was particularly valuable.

Themes from the day

Just like in Cardiff, several messages came through strongly:

People want to be involved: there is clear enthusiasm for co‑production and shaping this work collaboratively.

Sharing information better will support better care: atendees recognised that connected data will improve decision‑making and reduce duplication.

This is a big challenge, but people are ready for it: the work ahead is complex, but there was real optimism and a sense of shared purpose in the room.

Thank you and how to stay involved

A huge thank you  to everyone who joined us in Cardiff and Llandudno. Your openness, experience and ideas continue to shape this work, and they will play an important role in the next steps we take together to improve how information is shared across social care.

If you weren’t able to join us, or if you’d like to stay involved as the work develops, you can let us know by completing our expression of interest form. This helps us keep you updated about future events, opportunities to take part, and progress across our programmes.

You can complete our expression of interest form here.

We’re also offering opportunities to learn more about shared data standards. If you’d like to build your understanding of FHIR and how it can support better, safer information sharing in social care, you can join one of our upcoming sessions:

Understanding FHIR in Social Care: Mapping Real‑World Care to FHIR
Book your place and read more here

FHIR Hackathon Series
Book your place and read more here

We’re also exploring options to take this work on the road, visiting more locations and creating opportunities to speak directly with practitioners where they are. This will help us widen our reach and deepen our insight even further.

We’ll continue to share updates and learning through the Insight Collective. Thank you once again to everyone who has taken the time to contribute so far. 

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