Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) has shared updates on the introduction of digital fit requests at Hywel Dda University Health Board, a “major” email server upgrade, and the official accreditation of a course in analytics and AI.
A new digital way of working alongside a Symptomatic Faecal Immunochemical Tests (S-FIT) for patients with lower gastro-intestinal tract issues has been introduced at Hywel Dda University Health Board. The digital FIT model includes an electronic test requesting process to provide access for GPs to important information when making decisions about patient pathways and prioritisation, DHCW shares. The aim is to speed up access to diagnostic testing and treatment.
John Geen, clinical lead for Cwm Taf Morgannwg Clinical Biochemistry Service, said: “The system has efficiency benefits for laboratories and requesting clinicians, enabling the delivery of downstream robust patient safety netting protocols. The digital solution is essential for the whole system approach which has the patients at its centre, supporting direct patient contact where required, to optimise return rates for this important test.”
DHCW also shared details of a “major” email server upgrade taking NHS Wales from Exchange 2016 to Exchange 2019, then to Exchange Server SE, before support from Microsoft is withdrawn. The process required “meticulous planning”, it states, along with careful phasing and risk management to reduce the likelihood of downtime or disruption. Now complete, the upgrade will allow for NHS Wales to benefit from Microsoft’s minor update releases, eliminating the need for further large-scale upgrades in the future.
With this transition, NHS Wales will be well positioned to pursue further reductions in on-premise infrastructure, according to DHCW, with plans to decrease the number of servers in line with objectives around the move to cloud. “This project is not only a technical achievement but a strategic milestone on NHS Wales’ journey to modern, efficient, and secure digital communications,” it adds.
Also, DHCW has announced that its Analytics Learning Programme is now accredited by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, offering 40 university credits which can be used toward a degree in data-related subjects. The programme covers three streams: core, full, and cloud, offering modules across AI and machine learning, as well as hands-on experience on collaborative analytical projects. Expressions of interest are being welcomed to 30 January 2026.
Wider trend: Digital health in Wales
Late last year, Health Education and Improvement Wales launched a free foundational course in AI for healthcare professionals, with plans to introduce a chatbot interface to the online course. The foundations in AI course has been live since April 2025, with more than 600 colleagues having used the resource. It allows staff to learn the basics of AI, explore real-world examples of it in use and understand risks and ethics around safe usage, with the aim to “give every member of the workforce a safe place to experience AI for themselves”.
Digital Health and Care Wales has shared progress of two system upgrades, on its Flu and Covid-19 vaccinations system, and its colposcopy administration system to improve the quality of information being recorded. The Welsh Immunisation System has been updated to offer capability from ordering and stock management through to recording at point of care and system-wide surveillance, with further plans to rollout booking and communication features to RSV vaccinations in the coming months. Updates have also been made to colposcopy admin systems to improve the quality of information being recorded, now allowing for images to be saved automatically to EPRs, and incorporating everything into the Welsh Clinical Portal.
The Welsh Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing offered an update on the NHS Wales App, its use and plans for upcoming features, including test results, patient-reported outcomes, and an “about me” section for patients to share information they would like health professionals to know about them. Since the beta launch in April 2023, the App has been downloaded by more than half a million people; equivalent to one in five adults in Wales, and with more than nine million log-ins. Current functionality covers repeat prescriptions, booking for “some” primary care appointments, viewable health records, secure messaging, organ donation choices, and accessibility to NHS services such as 111 and screening.
