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Session Goals
The opening is our chance to tune the orchestra — setting a shared rhythm where speakers and participants are not separate but part of the same ensemble. Rather than formal speeches, this moment frames the Forum as an open space for dialogue: compassionate leadership, evidence-based insights, and collective purpose. The goal is to anchor the day with clarity and inspiration, reminding everyone that their role is not just to listen but to contribute to the conversation.
Helen Thomas, CEO at Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), and Dr George Mathew (Chair, Health Data Forum Advisory Board) welcome video.
This panel sets the stage for cross-border learning, bringing together diverse voices to compare approaches and challenges. The goal is not just to describe what each nation is doing but to uncover where collaboration can make a difference. Participants are invited to listen for common threads and be ready to weave their own perspectives into the discussion.
This conversation brings the human side of transformation to the fore. Helen Howson and Rhodri Griffiths will explore how courageous leadership and adoption pipelines turn ideas into impact. The goal is to show that governance and innovation are not abstract policies but lived practices that require trust, creativity, and collaboration. Participants are invited to see themselves not just as observers but as partners in making data meaningful.
Dr George Mathew is a recognised leader in healthcare innovation, clinical informatics, and digital transformation. With a career spanning clinical practice, executive leadership, and health technology, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of health data governance, interoperability, and AI-driven healthcare solutions.
Dr Helen Thomas has led Digital Health & Care Wales (DHCW) as CEO since 2021, guiding its impactful response to the COVID-19 pandemic and driving the rapid adoption of data and digital advancements across NHS Wales. She also oversaw DHCW's successful transition to a Special Health Authority in April 2021, ensuring the continued delivery of...
Michael West CBE is a highly influential figure in organisational psychology and healthcare, serving as a Senior Visiting Fellow at The King's Fund and a Professor at Lancaster University, alongside other academic appointments. With a PhD in the psychology of meditation, he has authored over 20 books and more than 200 articles focusing on...
Ifan Evans joined DHCW in 2022 as Executive Director of Strategy. His responsibilities include strategic planning and organisational performance, digital transformation programmes, commercial services, engagement and partnering.
Dr Padmavathi Roy, COO of Data First, AI Later, is a medical doctor and healthcare IT strategist with over two decades of experience in digital health, enterprise platforms, and cybersecurity. A former Chair of The Open Group Healthcare Forum, she brings clinical insight and design thinking to global conversations on data governance, cybersecurity,...
Rafael Almeida is a Director at SPMS (Shared Services of the Ministry of Health, Portugal), where he plays a central role in infrastructure, operations, and cloud services for the Portuguese National Health Service (SNS). With more than 20 years of experience in hospital systems and health IT management, he is dedicated to strengthening the...
Dan West, Accenture, Co-founder & CEO verif.ai, Founding member of the UK 4 Nations Health & Care Digital Leadership Forum
Professor Rachel Dunscombe, CEO of openEHR International, is a globally recognised digital health leader with over 30 years of experience. Previously CEO of the NHS Digital Academy (2017-2022), she led the Salford/NCA Group to become the NHS's most digitally mature organisation. A Visiting Professor at Imperial College London, she has advised the...
Rebecca Cook, Chief Data Officer at Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), is an accomplished leader with 19 years of experience in digital and data roles within NHS Wales. Joining DHCW in 2005, she has driven transformative change through data, focusing on health and social care innovation. As Head of Information Design and Standards Development,...
Rhodri Griffiths joined Life Sciences Hub Wales as Innovation Adoption Director in September 2020, following a three-year term serving the organisation as a board member. He's held a variety of senior management positions in the commercial, public and voluntary sectors, working with and for healthcare providers, pharma and medtech internationally,...
Dr Helen Howson is the Director of the Bevan Commission, an independent think tank for health and care in Wales, and the Bevan Commission Academy, which aims to help translate the Commissions' findings into practice. Helen played a lead role in its establishment and in developing the prudent healthcare principles and the Bevan Innovators and Bevan...
Ifan Evans joined DHCW in 2022 as Executive Director of Strategy. His responsibilities include strategic planning and organisational performance, digital transformation programmes, commercial services, engagement and partnering.
