Wales has initiated new innovation challenges through its Contracts for Innovation Cymru (CfIC) programme, aimed at discovering solutions to reduce missed appointments and modernise bowel screening pathways. The CfIC programme is specifically looking for creative approaches that can enhance appointment communications, improve accessibility of information, optimise appointment management, and utilise behavioural methods to encourage patient attendance. It also seeks digital tools and services, alongside data-driven strategies to enhance both attendance rates and access to planned care.

The CfIC has issued an open call for proposals, stating that it does not limit submissions to any specific technology, product, or service. The initiative encourages participation from various sectors and disciplines, inviting applicants to think innovatively about how to improve attendance, access, and the overall patient experience. Solutions are expected to show tangible benefits for patients, which could encompass enhanced access to planned care, better appointment attendance, improved patient experiences, and improved health outcomes. Additionally, there are opportunities to alleviate administrative burdens on healthcare staff and enhance operational efficiency through these innovations.

To support this effort, a total of £200,000 has been allocated to fund a portfolio of innovative projects, with final award decisions scheduled for 30 October 2026. The criteria for success in the challenges carry significant weight on technical merits (87%), while cost-effectiveness accounts for 9%, and social value comprises the remaining 4%. 

In conjunction with reducing missed appointments, the CfIC is also seeking innovations to modernise bowel screening processes. The focus is particularly on enhancing assessment, triage support, and steps following a positive faecal immunochemical test (FIT) result. Current pre-colonoscopy assessments are heavily based on manual and telephone interactions during limited office hours, thus the CfIC solicits enhancements that enable timely assessments, foster greater patient control over booking and management of appointments, and allow for the triage of participants based on specific clinical needs. 

For this specific challenge, £300,000 is available to fund approximately four to five selected projects, although the CfIC is open to increasing this budget for exceptional proposals. Similar to the wider innovation challenge, technical considerations again dominate the award criteria at 87%, with commercial viability at 9% and social value at 4%.

This initiative reflects a broader movement towards digital innovation in Wales, as evidenced by recent advancements in digital transformation across Welsh health boards. Reports indicate that Digital Health and Care Wales is set to approve a three-year AI strategy, while progress in GP IT systems is underway. There is a notable shift in digital teams towards a model prioritising procurement of off-the-shelf solutions rather than rigid build-and-evolve approaches.

Furthermore, Wales is collaborating on the UNITE European Digital Health Valleys project, aimed at fostering innovation in health sectors throughout Europe. Funded by the Horizon Europe programme, this initiative has secured £700,000 to enable Welsh organisations to pursue new funding and collaborative opportunities. The Welsh government is now actively encouraging applications from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), health boards, and universities to take part in this project.

A specific partnership between Welsh critical care services and the University of Warwick is investigating how immersive technologies may aid frontline decision-making during remote patient care and transfers. The 999 REACH project, supported by the Economic and Social Research Council, is set to evaluate three methods of remote specialist support: traditional telephone consultations, video consultations via tablets with360-degree camera capabilities, and full immersion through virtual reality headsets. 

These efforts signal a robust commitment by the Welsh government to embrace innovation within the healthcare system.

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