Cardiff, Wales | 7 May 2025
In a truly landmark setting, eMental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC) convened its latest Digital Mental Health Roundtable in collaboration with Digital Health and Care Wales and NHS Wales, gathering national and international thought leaders under the vaulted halls of Cardiff Castle.
Themed “Digital Mental Health Strategy & Implementation and the Role of AI in Mental Health”, the roundtable brought together a dynamic mix of policymakers, practitioners, and innovators to engage in solution-oriented dialogue on the most pressing challenges facing mental health care today. This marked eMHIC’s first roundtable held in a castle—symbolic of both the historic significance and future-focused momentum of the conversations that unfolded.
A Day of Insight and Impact
The roundtable addressed some of the most urgent issues facing mental health systems today: workforce development, bridging the treatment gap, regulatory compliance, accreditation, and activating populations to access support. At the heart of every discussion was a shared commitment to improving timely access to mental health information, care, and treatment across multiple delivery modalities.
The roundtable took place against the backdrop of escalating global demand for mental health services—driven by evolving social structures post-COVID, economic pressures, and the growing mental health impacts of climate change. As one participant noted, access is the defining challenge of our time.
The day began with a compelling keynote from Anil Thapliyal, Executive Director of eMHIC, who provided a global perspective on international best practices in digital mental health. His address set the tone for the day’s discussions, grounding them in a shared understanding of what’s possible when systems are reimagined with vision, collaboration, and scale in mind.
Delegates confronted the reality that demand for mental health services has never been greater, and that existing systems are struggling to respond. The traditional model of mental health service delivery—face-to-face, one-to-one and heavily reliant on a clinical workforce—can no longer meet the needs of the population. Deep-rooted issues such as workforce shortages, stigma, low mental health literacy, and geographic inequities have compounded the strain.
At the heart of every discussion in Cardiff was a shared understanding that digital mental health offers a viable path forward. It was clear that this isn’t about simply adding digital tools onto existing frameworks—it’s about redesigning systems to be digitally-enabled and designed for scale. When thoughtfully implemented, digital innovations can offer faster access to care, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce inequity.
A highlight of the day was a briefing from Ciara Rogers, National Director of Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity at the NHS Wales Executive. She shared how Wales is leading the way in data and digital commitments, including expanding same-day mental health support through multichannel access—phone, virtual, and in-person.
The energy in the room was palpable. Delegates from across Wales and around the world came with a solution-focused mindset and a shared belief in tangible, systems-level change. The sense of collective hope was not only inspiring—it was energising.
“The organisation and planning went really well, with teams from DHCW, the Strategic Programme and eMHIC all contributing to the smooth running of the day. The short, sharp presentations meant there was a lot to take in—but it worked. I know I took a lot away, and so did my team.
The mix of people was excellent, and it was especially powerful to hear Gareth speak so clearly about very technical areas of service delivery and how they can be more readily used by both professionals and patients. I’ve already made connections with some of the suppliers—there was real value in being able to share the specific challenges we face in Wales and explore how they might adapt to meet them.
And Andy was a joy—what a great MC for the day.”
Honouring Leadership and Vision
In recognition of her visionary leadership and tireless contributions to advancing digital mental health in Wales, Ciara Rogers was formally inducted into eMHIC’s Global Leadership Council. In a moment rich with cultural significance, she was presented with a handmade Korowai, a traditional Māori feather cloak from New Zealand that symbolises honour, leadership, warmth, and protection.
As the Welsh proverb says, “A fo ben, bid bont” – If you want to be a leader, be a bridge. Ciara embodies this principle, acting as a powerful connector between systems, sectors, and communities.
The Path Ahead
The Cardiff Roundtable left participants with a sense of forward momentum and a collective readiness to act. It reinforced a shared resolve to rethink the foundations of mental health systems and explore bold new models—models where digital mental health is co-designed with communities and embedded in existing health, education, justice, and social systems.
Participants examined how to build new models of care that take pressure off the workforce and offer people earlier and more equitable access to help, guided by robust evaluation and meaningful lived experience input. There was an emphasis on designing services that are anchored in community need and delivered through diverse and culturally safe modalities.
“The new policy direction for mental health in Wales gives us a platform to really be ambitious. Our digital offer will be a huge enabler in how we provide rapid access to early mental health care for everyone.
When implemented right, digital tools can significantly improve patient experience and outcomes, in addition to easing the administrative pressures placed on staff, freeing up more time to care for people.
By working in partnership with a diverse group of stakeholders, we have the chance to bring together knowledge and experience to get digital mental health transformation right by design. The Roundtable on Digital Mental Health has challenged all of us to think even more broadly about the role of digital.”
As another Welsh saying reminds us, “Deuparth gwaith yw ei ddechrau” – Starting the work is two-thirds of it. With shared intent and mutual accountability, the journey is well underway.
It’s hard not to fall in love with all things Welsh when walking the streets of Cardiff and engaging with the people who call it home. Wales is living proof that any country is only as strong as the people within it—and on this day, those people showed just how much is possible when collaboration meets conviction.
