A big week for AI in health and care – and a proud moment for Wales

Published 18 November 2025

Last week was one of those weeks that really stays with you. A week where conversations, collaborations and ideas come together in a way that genuinely shifts momentum.

Across conferences, events and foundation discussions, Wales has had a real opportunity to step forward and show the role we can play in shaping a responsible, confident and capability driven approach to AI in health and care. And as part of the Digital, Data and Insight team at Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW), we’re incredibly proud to see the work happening here in Wales gain national attention.

What has become very clear is this:

Wales is not just participating in the UK’s AI journey. We are helping to lead it.

Sharing Wales’ story at the Four Nations responsible AI in healthcare education conference

The Four Nations Responsible AI in Healthcare Education Conference brought together colleagues from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The scale alone was striking:

1,469 attendees
14 sessions exploring tools, ethics, simulation and practical AI training

But beyond the numbers, the energy was unmistakable. People are ready to explore how AI can genuinely help our workforce, our educators and our learners.

And Wales’ contribution stood out for all the right reasons: clarity, ambition and real world practicality.

Recording available soon.

HALI: A Welsh innovation that caught people’s attention

One of the best parts of the week was seeing the reaction to HALI – the Healthcare AI Learning Interface.

Although HALI isn’t yet live (watch this space!), it is already generating strong interest across the UK. Designed as a supportive AI mentor for NHS Wales staff, HALI will help colleagues explore how artificial intelligence might affect their roles, decisions and daily practice.

The excitement around HALI makes sense because it:

focuses on the workforce, not the technology
bridges the gap between AI “hype” and the realities of NHS delivery
reinforces safe, confident, ethical use

For us, HALI represents exactly what Wales does well: practical solutions built with people at the centre.

Foundations in AI: Giving Every Colleague a Starting Point

We also showcased the Foundations in AI module, which is now live on Y Ty Dysgu and quickly becoming the go to entry point for AI literacy across NHS Wales.

It offers:

A simple grounding in what AI is (and isn’t)
Practical examples from real clinical and nonclinical settings
Clear ethical and safety considerations
A confidence building starting point for anyone new to the topic

For a national workforce of over 100,000 people, strong foundations matter. And Wales is taking that responsibility seriously.

Shared Themes Across the Four Nations

Across every discussion, a common thread emerged:

We all want AI adoption that is safe, ethical, inclusive and meaningful.

This includes:

Building AI literacy at scale
Addressing bias and protecting equity
Supporting educators with practical tools
Aligning with national frameworks, including the Welsh AI Landscape Review

Wales’ work resonated because it is grounded not in hype, but in ethics, inclusion and capability building.

Raising Wales’ Profile Beyond the Conference

A highlight of the week was seeing Alex delivering a keynote at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

This wasn’t just a presentation; it was a chance to share Wales’ strategic approach to AI capability development with a prestigious UK audience.

The feedback was fantastic, and the session reinforced that Wales is contributing something thoughtful, practical and values led to the national conversation.

Stronger Together: Four Nations Collaboration

One of the real privileges of this work is the collaboration across the four nations.

There is clear, growing momentum around:

Shared resources
Joint approaches
Consistent capability building
Avoiding duplication
Scaling what works
Embedding shared principles of safety, equity and quality

Wales is seen as a constructive, innovative partner. And that is something to celebrate.

Looking Ahead

This week has reminded all of us that Wales has something distinctive and genuinely valuable to offer in the responsible AI space.

We are:

Developing practical tools like HALI and Foundations in AI
Leading ethical and capability focused conversations
Supporting educators, clinicians and learners
Collaborating deeply across the UK
Raising our national profile at major events and institutions

And we are only at the beginning.

With HALI launching soon and further learning resources coming online, Wales is positioning itself as a nation that embraces the opportunities, and the responsibilities of AI enabled healthcare.

A huge thank you to colleagues across HEIW, our four nations partners and everyone who played a part in an energising and impactful week.

The future of AI in health and care will be collaborative, responsible and workforce centred. And Wales is proud to be helping lead the way.

Craig Barker & Dr Alex Aubrey
Digital, Data and Insight
Health Education and Improvement Wales