Wales has joined the UNITE European Digital Health Valleys project, which aims to bridge Europe’s digital health divide and transform healthcare through tech innovation.

The project brings together European regions to build a connected digital health ecosystem, enabling the development, testing and scale-up of innovative healthcare solutions. It is funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

This is the first EU grant that the Welsh Government has secured since Brexit.

The Welsh Government will receive funding of more than £700,000 to support participation in the scheme.

Welsh SMEs, health boards, universities and innovation bodies are encouraged to engage early, develop partnerships and prepare project ideas aligned with key healthcare challenges.

Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, said: "Driving innovation-led economic growth, strengthening Wales’ international partnerships, and ensuring new technologies deliver tangible benefits for public services and businesses across Wales are key pillars of our new economic productivity mission.

"This major initiative will deliver on all those fronts, with a focus on addressing shared healthcare challenges such as the needs of ageing populations and workforce pressures by connecting industry, healthcare providers, academia and the public sector.

"As a UNITE partner region Wales will play a central role in a shaping a new digital health innovation ecosystem and gain access to a network of European digital health regions, opening up new opportunities for our most innovative sector organisations to collaborate internationally and access funding.

"Crucially, this will support the adoption of innovative solutions for NHS Wales while strengthening Wales’ position in the global digital health market."