Dr Hywel Lloyd demonstrates equipment from Telediab, a project that uses eye examinations to check for signs of diabetes, at the Wales telemedicine conference in Cardiff.

Welsh secretary Ron Davies told the conference telemedicine offered 'great potential to improve access to healthcare and health information', especially in remote areas, where travel was difficult and expensive. His point was underlined by the launch of a feasibility study commissioned by Ceredigion and Mid Wales trust, which identified nearly 5,000 ways of using existing technology to improve healthcare. As a result, the trust is thinking of linking its healthcare centres by e-mail and establishing video links to tertiary centres so patients and doctors have better access to specialist services.