Helo bawb. Hi everyone.

We’ve been taking a short summer break, but there’s still plenty happening across Wales’ digital community. Rather than leave you waiting until September, we’ve pulled together a quick round-up of some of the latest news and developments.

Save the date!

It’s been a while in the making, but we’re excited to announce that our free in-person event with TransformGov Talks is happening in Cardiff on Thursday 17 September at 6pm.

Get your ticket - speakers announced soon!

This month’s digital news in Cymru

Working together as Service Owners: shaping better services across healthcare
Ayala Gordon reflects on what happens when people come together around a shared understanding of user needs, outcomes and purpose. “‘Service Owner’ is a role; ‘service ownership’ is a mindset. While one person may hold the title, improving services requires a collective commitment to understanding user needs, outcomes and continuous improvement.”

Audit Wales publishes new Code of Audit Practice
Adrian Crompton, Auditor General for Wales, outlines the new Code of Audit Practice, which strengthens the focus on proportionality, risk-based auditing, independence and the use of professional judgement. It also reflects developments such as the use of artificial intelligence in audit. It provides an updated framework for public audit in Wales, helping ensure scrutiny remains effective and makes the best use of public resources.

How should governments tackle complex policy challenges?
Andy Regan, Head of Nesta Cymru, joins the Walescast podcast to discuss what it takes to deliver ambitious public sector reforms, including in areas such as childcare. This matters because Wales continues to face difficult policy choices that require new approaches to designing and delivering public services.

Designing the bigger picture
Amy Richards reflects on what she has learned from seven months working on the NHS Wales App as lead service designer. She argues that teams need to work across disciplines and organisational boundaries to improve the wider services people rely on. It matters because better digital healthcare depends on improving the whole service, not just the screen.

Launching a new bilingual forest management plan application service
Jane Davidson shares how Natural Resources Wales transformed a complex forest management plan application process into a clearer, bilingual online service. Working closely with forestry experts and users, the team simplified guidance, removed unnecessary questions and tested the service before launch. It matters because it shows how collaboration and early testing can make complex public services simpler for users and more efficient for the teams delivering them.

Why continuous discovery matters
Transform Wales’ Nia Campbell explains how the NHS Wales App team is continuously learning from patients to improve services and guide future investment. By combining surveys, data and research, the team can identify problems that performance measures alone may miss and track whether changes improve people’s experiences.

Upcoming events

Access for all conference - Wednesday 30 September at the Riverside theatre in Newport

GovCamp Cymru - is back in Cardiff on Friday 6 November. You can now sign up for ticket-release updates and further details.