Introduction:
Research shows that while women live longer than men, they live fewer years free from ill health and disability. They wait longer for pain relief and many women report they are having their symptoms dismissed, with more than 8 in 10 women saying that they felt not listened to by healthcare professionals . The UK stands out as the country with the largest female health gap in the G20 and the 12th largest globally . Following on from a discovery report that captured voices of women across Wales, the Welsh Government along with other key stakeholders developed ‘The NHS Wales Women’s Health Plan (2025-2035)’ which outlines NHS Wales’s approach to improving the health outcomes for women across Wales.
The plan highlights sex and gender health disparities and outlines how NHS organisations in Wales will close the gap by providing better health services for women. It also provides a reassurance that they are listened to, and their health needs are understood, bringing attention to areas of greater research, data and innovation whilst ensuring the involvement of women and girls.
As part of the Welsh Governments Women’s Health Plan, every Health Board in Wales must have a Pathfinder Women’s Health Hub by 2026. This demonstrator Contracts for Innovation project aims to compliment this approach and support the overall delivery of the Women’s Health Plan, by seeking innovative approaches to women’s health improvement, supplement Primary Care Pathways and improve Secondary Care Pathways.
Background:
While most women’s healthcare needs are routine, there is a growing demand for specialised care. Most gynaecological referrals come from primary care, with fewer originating from screenings (such as cervical smears) or emergency presentations. Statistics show that in January 2025, the number of gynaecological pathway referrals waiting to start treatment including hospital appointments, tests, scans, or other procedures in Wales, has more than doubled to 52,424, compared to 20,855 in January 2018 .
To illustrate a major contributory factor has been the rise in suspected gynaecology cancer referrals – increasing in number by 30% through 2024 compared with 2022 . Since 2021 , GP referrals have become the predominant source, partly due to more proactive GP practices and public awareness campaigns (e.g., for postmenopausal bleeding), the data also showing that the 50-79 age group accounts for the majority of referrals and treatments in this area.
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Using evidence and guidance predominantly derived from specialist settings, GPs are diligently making suspected cancer referrals which ensure the relatively small number of patients with cancer are caught early, but this also strains diagnostics and increases waitlists, causing system backlogs and challenges in prioritising other patients in need of care, including the estimated 1 in 10 women in Wales who suffer with endometriosis . Most cancer pathway referrals (85-90%) close without a cancer diagnosis, and many of those who are referred are more likely to have symptoms that are difficult to understand or manage, or have more complex health needs.
In addition to this, research undertaken in 2018 by Cardiff University showed that it takes around 8 years and 26 GP appointments to get a diagnosis of endometriosis in Wales , which is more than anywhere else in the UK. The lack of both research and understanding about the condition contributes to diagnostic delays.
Challenge theme:
We are seeking to identify and support the delivery of Phase 2 collaborative projects that can evidence the potential and scalability of developing and near-to-market solutions via real-world demonstrations that will support and care for all women and girls, leading to earlier, faster diagnosis, reduction in waiting times, improvements to the efficiency and efficacy of treatment without compromising outcomes.
Demonstration projects should be focused on evidencing ‘end user’ benefits in collaboration with business, academia and primary and secondary care to develop and demonstrate the potential to deliver measurable improvements in Women and Girls Health and aid NHS Wales in delivering the commitments made in the Women’s Health Plan.
The aim is to complete Phase 2 by the 31st March 2026 however consideration may be given to further extending delivery until the end of September 2026 to ensure a more fuller evaluation. Please provide costs and deliverables for the two distinct timelines in your application, whilst remaining within the current budget availability. We do reserve the right to adjust the budget at a later date, should further budget become available and subject to the early outcomes demonstrating sufficient value.
Evidence gained through the delivery of these projects will inform future recommendations for potential use in 2026, coinciding with the development of the hubs across Wales. It is the intention to then obtain additional Phase 3 funding (subject to budget availability) to scale and spread the most promising solutions across Wales.
Successful applicants, alongside public sector partners, will be expected to deliver demonstration and/or scale and spread innovative projects which can evidence the potential benefits, cost effectiveness and sustainability of their solutions.
Solutions should address one or more of the following priorities:
• Improving Communication Gaps. Enhancing how healthcare providers communicate with women about their health concerns, such as reproductive health, menopause, or chronic conditions, providing tailored, trusted, and accessible information.
• Enhanced patient outcomes. Early diagnosis and management of women’s health conditions through using person centred care and evidence-based management across the pathways will support better outcomes.
• Address Underserved Areas. Women’s health issues such as menstrual health, maternal care or conditions like endometriosis have led to disparities in care.
• Empowering Patients. Effective communication often involves empowering women to advocate for their own health, and the need for better education or tools to facilitate this.
• Tackling Stigma and Awareness. There is a need for discreet, home-based monitoring or community-driven solutions that normalise conversations and provide data to healthcare providers, particularly in conditions such as mental health in pregnancy or heavy menstrual bleeding.
• Health Screening. Making sure that no one misses out on key health checks that might flag issues and promote timely care.
• Localised Solutions. Solutions will need to reflect the specific needs of Welsh women, taking into consideration factors such as rural access to care, language and cultural factors.
To note:
We recognise that some individuals who need access to women’s healthcare do not identify themselves as women or girls, and we are clear that all services must be appropriate and sensitive to individual needs. We use the terms ‘girls’, ‘woman’ and ‘women’s health’ with the understanding that some trans men and non-binary people recorded female at birth are included and may also require access to these services. The development of any projects should take this into account.
The key focus will be on real-world trials of emerging and near-to-market innovations within Wales which will demonstrate efficacy, sustainability of service, affordability and scalability of solutions that can be delivered at pace where financial viability will be key. We are not seeking research projects such as early feasibility studies or evidence generation studies aimed at developing the product/solution further.
Any digital solutions developed during this challenge will be required to meet NHS Wales Digital and Cyber Security standards. In addition, they will need to be compatible with the NHS Wales app and the Women’s Health Website which is under development. Any patient facing solutions will be required to meet the Welsh language standards as part of this challenge and demonstrate potential for multi-lingual functionality.
Prior to the award of contract, successful applications will be required to evidence that they have obtained relevant certification/approvals and are suitably positioned to proceed upon project commencement, this includes relevant regulatory approval (e.g., CE marking, MHRA, Clinical Trials, etc.) to ensure prompt and safe delivery of real-world testing.
If project applications are seeking to build upon previous real word trials/small-scale testing, applications must clearly articulate the next phase and how this funding will help accelerate this work, outlining any previous adoption barriers and demonstrating how these will be addressed. We are seeking rigorous evaluations and adoption readiness reports that support the required evidence base for service development and potential scale-up across Wales, which may also be valid in other health care contexts.
– Applications are invited to include a named health, public or third sector collaborator within Wales who has committed to their involvement in the project, evidenced by a signed letter of support. However, innovations will be evaluated on merit, and we will endeavour to facilitate partnerships for those who do not have any existing relationships;
– Funding for collaborator costs should be included as a subcontractor cost in the project applications;
– Projects can include more than one subcontractor; however, the involvement and role of each organisation should be clearly specified and the commitment evidenced, ideally with named individuals stated in the application;
– Multi-sector applications will be welcomed – in particular, applications that demonstrate significant benefits for NHS, Primary, Secondary & Third Sector organisations;
– Academic partners are also welcomed, particularly in relation to independent evaluation and meeting any required technical/scientific testing.
In Scope
We are looking to fund evidence formed innovation projects that have the potential to deliver measurable improvements in Women and Girls Health which may include but are not limited to:
• Prevention as well as treatment.
• Innovative screening to encourage greater engagement
• Better outcomes
• Reduction in health inequalities
• Providing enhancements in accessing required services.
• Ensuring women and girls voices are heard
• Personalised tools to enable women and girls to make informed choices to manage their own health
• Improving access to health care professionals and targeted information that may be required.
Out of Scope
We are not looking to fund projects that:
• Propose early innovations that have not yet sought regulatory approval (e.g., CE marking, MHRA, Clinical Trials, etc.).
• Are purely focussed on feasibility – we are seeking real-world practical demonstration (not academic/research papers).
• Cannot evidence engagement with potential future customers to understand needs.
• Fail to address how any potentially negative outcomes would be managed.
• Cannot evidence how a proposal will generate positive economic or societal impact.
• Fail to consider affordability & practicality of widespread implementation including capital, infrastructure and future operating costs.
• Integration to any national systems during this SBRI trial will be out scope but will need to be developed and compatible with Health Board systems, NHS Wales App and Womens Health Website for any future procurement (post project).
• Cannot meet Welsh language standards or demonstrate potential for multi-lingual functionality.
• Cannot demonstrate that accessibility and equity are core considerations throughout solution development and demonstration
Desirable Exit Points
The aim of the funding is to generate real-world evidence to support rapid local or regional roll out of the innovation. Awarded proposals are expected to demonstrate some of the following exit points upon project completion:
• Implementation effectiveness demonstrated and a defined implementation guide produced where appropriate.
• Evidence of health and financial impact: health economics analysis (i.e., cost benefit analysis, budget impact model).
• Innovation independently evaluated to demonstrate its impact in real-world settings.
• Environmental and sustainability assessment and impact.
• Equality and Health Inequalities impact assessment.
• Partnership developed for implementation in multiple sites.
• NHS Business case (e.g., procurement business cases to support transition into business-as-usual via standard commissioning routes, inclusion on procurement frameworks, etc).
• Defined commissioning or procurement approach.
• Other relevant evidence to ensure local adoption following project completion, and plans for further spread and adoption (e.g., scaling-up plan and strategic plan towards adoption and spread, marketing tools development).
• Company scaling plan (e.g., staff, money, supply, etc)
Funding Allocation & Project Details
This challenge is open to applications that deliver a Phase 2 real-world demonstration project. Current funding of up to £900,000 is available to support a portfolio of projects – which may be subject to change, dependent upon the number/quality of submissions received. We are seeking a broad range of projects, from rapid or low-cost demonstrations to large scale demonstrators. All costs must be clearly justified and value for money demonstrated with willingness for appropriate contributions from the provider to help deliver the project. We reserve the right to consider an increased budget for exceptional applications if the scale of the delivery across Wales warrants it.
Projects will be selected on a portfolio approach to ensure activity and evidence is gathered on a broad demographic basis across Wales.
We are looking for bidders to put forward applications that demonstrate a high level of commitment and willingness to work in partnership with our health and care organisations and key stakeholders as we identify potentially scalable innovations for the benefit of citizens in Wales. In return, the project team will receive support on a regular basis from a dedicated Stakeholder Group working closely over the project time period to understand the key barriers and enablers, embedded in activities relating to innovation adoption at national level, and support provided for outlining the implications for national scale up.
Phase 2: Real-world Demonstration – Supporting broader demonstration projects of successful emerging and near-to-market solutions across a variety of locations/demographics, providing evidence of the potential for spread and scale across Wales on a place-based approach, considering local assets, existing services and local un-met needs.
Project costs should be identified for the innovation solution provider and for staffing resource requirements of the health, third or public sector collaborator. This should be specified within the challenge application with clear roles stated – ideally with named individuals for each role.
Your application must:
• Demonstrate a clear plan for commercialisation and a route to market for affordable, developed solutions;
• Explain the potential positive contribution to the goals of Women’s Health Plan for Wales
• Deliver against the aims set out in A Healthier Wales Plan;
• Consider, and address where necessary, equality, diversity and inclusion aspects across your project, your sector(s) and society;
• Address how any potentially negative outcomes would be managed;
• Ensure personal safety is paramount and any risks clearly articulated with robust mitigation in place;
• Include a full independent evaluation following project completion – this should include a benefits, social and economic analysis.
• Demonstrate evidence to support a NHS Business case (e.g., procurement business cases to support transition into business-as-usual via standard commissioning routes, inclusion for national commissioning initiatives, inclusion on procurement frameworks, etc.)
• Demonstrate the ability to meet Welsh Language standards, and ideally demonstrate the potential for multi-lingual capability to improve accessibility.
Please note any adoption and implementation of a solution from this competition could be subject of a separate, possibly competitive, procurement exercise. This competition does not cover the long term purchase of any solution, although we may choose to extend this project by investigating and exploring innovative procurement routes as part of this challenge.
The total funding available for the competition can change and the funders reserve the right to adjust the provisional funding allocations, I.e., should additional funding become available.
The funder also reserves the right to apply a ‘portfolio’ approach to ensure funds are allocated across a broad range of strategic and geographic areas. This may mean that a proposal that scores less than yours may be successful. The portfolio can be spread across a range of:
• scope areas
• project durations
• project costs, including demonstrating value for money
• Locations.
Briefing Event
A virtual Briefing Event will be held on Thursday 21 August at 10am. Register here for SBRI Briefing Event: Women’s Health Briefing Event
Application Process
Directions on how to enter this competition can be found via:
SBRI Challenge: Improving health outcomes for women and girls across Wales
KEY DATES
Open date 14 August 2025
Briefing event 21 August 2025 at 10am
Close date 10 September 2025 (12 noon)
Assessment & Shortlisting 11–15 September 2025
Shortlist agreed & Suppliers notified 19 September 2025
Meet and Greet with Suppliers’ TBC
Decision Release w/c 29 September 2025
Contracts awarded w/c 29 September 2025
Projects Commence 13 October 2025
Projects Complete 27 February 2026
Final Report Submission Deadline 13 March 2026
*All dates may be subject to change
Appendix 1 – Policy Context
The Women’s Health Plan for Wales – NHS Wales Executive
Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015: the essentials [HTML] | GOV.WALES
A Healthier Wales (gov.wales)
Wales innovates, creating a stronger, fairer, greener wales: delivery plan [HTML] | GOV.WALES