HPN NORTH 2026 AGENDA

HPN is a unique, two-day learning and networking event which brings together the most inspirational leaders and transformational suppliers in the healthcare sector to share cutting-edge insight, knowledge and experience. Our agenda is carefully curated to address the most relevant and emerging challenges in the sector.

26 - 27 February 2026, The Manchester Deansgate, Manchester

Day 1
Day 2

26 February 2026

8:00 am - 8:45 am

Main Room

Registration
8:45 am - 8:55 am

Main Room

Chair's opening remarks

Laura is an experienced healthcare leader and communications professional, with extensive experience across the NHS, digital and life sciences industries. She is currently Director of Strategy, overseeing health Innovation Manchester’s strategic priorities across the research and innovation portfolio, working closely with the rest of the executive team, staff, key stakeholders and partners. Her broad portfolio includes strategy and planning, innovation pipeline curation, user-led design and public engagement, programme assurance, organisational development, stakeholder engagement and partnerships, and strategic communications.

Laura has spent 15 years working in senior roles across the NHS in Greater Manchester, both in commissioning and provider organisations, and prior to that worked in corporate agencies specialising in business to business PR. She has a wealth of experience in managing complex and sensitive issues, strategy development and delivery, media relations and corporate affairs.

She enjoys using creative processes to see things differently and elicit new ideas and concepts towards solving problems, as well as encouraging success and creativity in others through positive leadership, inclusion, and coproduction.

Laura Rooney

Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Strategy Officer
Health Innovation Manchester

Welcome to the Healthcare Partnership Network.
8:55 am - 9:35 am

Main Room

Opening keynote panel - Establishing a sustainable ecosystem for an NHS which is fit for the future

Laura is an experienced healthcare leader and communications professional, with extensive experience across the NHS, digital and life sciences industries. She is currently Director of Strategy, overseeing health Innovation Manchester’s strategic priorities across the research and innovation portfolio, working closely with the rest of the executive team, staff, key stakeholders and partners. Her broad portfolio includes strategy and planning, innovation pipeline curation, user-led design and public engagement, programme assurance, organisational development, stakeholder engagement and partnerships, and strategic communications.

Laura has spent 15 years working in senior roles across the NHS in Greater Manchester, both in commissioning and provider organisations, and prior to that worked in corporate agencies specialising in business to business PR. She has a wealth of experience in managing complex and sensitive issues, strategy development and delivery, media relations and corporate affairs.

She enjoys using creative processes to see things differently and elicit new ideas and concepts towards solving problems, as well as encouraging success and creativity in others through positive leadership, inclusion, and coproduction.

Laura Rooney

Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Strategy Officer
Health Innovation Manchester

David Lowe

Clinical Director for Innovation Health
Scottish Government

Kendall Jamieson Gilmore

Associate Director of Strategy
NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Kathryn Kaboutian is the Group Deputy Chief Digital Information Officer for the Bristol NHS Hospital Group, bringing more than 17 years of experience in digital transformation, clinical technology, and large-scale organisational change across North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol & Weston.

A people-first digital leader, Kath is known for her commitment to psychological safety, partnership working, and creating the conditions for honest conversation. She is a champion of clinicians, digital professionals, and improvement teams working side-by-side. Always keeping the patient at the heart of every digital decision. For Kath, technology is never “the thing”: it is the enabler that helps staff provide safer, kinder, more personalised care.

Kath plays a leading role in shaping the emerging Group Digital Strategy, the Single Digital Enterprise Team, and major transformation programmes including EPMA implementations, Enterprise Network, AI governance and pilots, regional imaging collaboration, DrDoctor digital pathways, and the Group’s ambitions around HIMSS and the NHS 10-Year Plan. She is particularly interested in how digital can drive safer, more sustainable, and more equitable care — while sweating existing assets and keeping clinical safety at the core of every decision.

Elected to the Digital Health Networks CIO Advisory Panel for the 2025–2027 term, Kath is an active national voice on digital workforce, leadership, and culture. She regularly speaks at events such as Digital Health Rewired, HETT, HTN Live, and regional leadership forums, advocating for inclusive digital leadership, honest challenge, and the value of face-to-face collaboration.

Her leadership style is shaped by personal resilience and the belief that progress comes from celebrating small wins — whether that’s a successful sprint review, a tricky conversation navigated well, or helping teams feel more confident in a time of change. A proud Welshwoman, Kath blends warmth, humour and authenticity in everything she does, never shying from reflecting openly on impostor syndrome, belonging, and the realities of leading through change.

Outside of work, Kath is a wife and mother, avid reader of sports leadership books, and lover of travel, running and time spent with her family.

Kathryn Kaboutian

Group Deputy Chief Digital Information Officer
North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Foundation Trust

Following from all the changes and upheaval in the healthcare system in 2025, hear from leaders from the healthcare ecosystem on how to create and maintain an environment that enables change, innovation and strength in order to carry the...

Following from all the changes and upheaval in the healthcare system in 2025, hear from leaders from the healthcare ecosystem on how to create and maintain an environment that enables change, innovation and strength in order to carry the NHS into 2035.
9:35 am - 9:55 am

Main Room

Headline sponsor presentation

Interested in sponsoring?
10:00 am - 10:40 am

Main Room

Dragon's den speed presentations

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short 60 second pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challen...

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short 60 second pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
10:45 am - 12:00 pm

Main Room

Networking business meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
12:05 pm - 12:35 pm

Main Room

Panel discussion – Cross-sector partnership to enable innovation at scale in Manchester

I am the Chief Nursing Information Officer for Health Innovation Manchester and NHS GM (ICB). Leading the digital agenda for Nursing & Midwives across the Greater Manchester system, working with providers in primary, secondary, community and social care.
I am a registered nurse with a clinical background in neonatal nursing, previously working in Neonatal units across Cheshire and Mersey and for the Neonatal Regional Transport team in a Senior Management/Leadership role. Then moving to a Senior Corporate Nursing role for quality & patient safety. Throughout my career I have held many posts ranging from staff nurse, ward manager and matron through to the role of Chief Nursing Informatics Officer. I have been a CNIO in 4 organisations, supporting and leading the process of digitising Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health professionals in pre and post Electronic Patient Record go lives and beyond, enabling nurses to have an equal voice in the digital arena, ensuring that information systems support nursing and allow more time for patient care, thereby reducing risk and improving quality and safety.

In my role as Chief Nursing Informatics Officer, I have participated and supported digital programmes for nurses locally, regionally and at national level. I have been responsible for strategic and operational nursing leadership in the development, deployment, re-engineering, optimisation and integration of clinical information systems to support nursing and patient care.

Jacqui Cooper

Chief Nursing Information Officer
Health Innovation Manchester and NHS Greater Manchester

Saif Ahmed

Associate Medical Director
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Laura is an experienced healthcare leader and communications professional, with extensive experience across the NHS, digital and life sciences industries. She is currently Director of Strategy, overseeing health Innovation Manchester’s strategic priorities across the research and innovation portfolio, working closely with the rest of the executive team, staff, key stakeholders and partners. Her broad portfolio includes strategy and planning, innovation pipeline curation, user-led design and public engagement, programme assurance, organisational development, stakeholder engagement and partnerships, and strategic communications.

Laura has spent 15 years working in senior roles across the NHS in Greater Manchester, both in commissioning and provider organisations, and prior to that worked in corporate agencies specialising in business to business PR. She has a wealth of experience in managing complex and sensitive issues, strategy development and delivery, media relations and corporate affairs.

She enjoys using creative processes to see things differently and elicit new ideas and concepts towards solving problems, as well as encouraging success and creativity in others through positive leadership, inclusion, and coproduction.

Laura Rooney

Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Strategy Officer
Health Innovation Manchester

Tracey Vell

Chief Officer
NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Provider Board

Join this session featuring leaders from Health Innovation Manchester and Greater Manchester to discover how they are collaborating efficiently and succinctly using the GM Care Record and Secure Data Environment to enable innovation, man...

Join this session featuring leaders from Health Innovation Manchester and Greater Manchester to discover how they are collaborating efficiently and succinctly using the GM Care Record and Secure Data Environment to enable innovation, manage population health and deliver personalised and safer care to patients.
12:35 pm - 12:55 pm

Main Room

Platinum sponsor presentation

Interested in sponsoring?
1:00 pm - 1:20 pm

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

Interested in sponsoring?
1:20 pm - 2:00 pm

Main Room

Networking lunch

An opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers to talk over the learnings from the event. Lunch is served buffet style and a range of options are available to cater for different dietary requirements.
2:05 pm - 2:20 pm

Main Room

Keynote – How digital is boosting the prevention of ill health

Lauren Latham, Deputy Director of Digital Screening at NHS England. With over 20 years in digital health and technology, Lauren has been instrumental in shaping national screening and prevention health services using human-centred and product-led approaches. She challenges conventional rules and encourages bold innovation.

Lauren Latham

Deputy Director of Digital Screening
NHS England

With the goals of ‘sickness to prevention’ and ‘analogue to digital’ hear how the NHS Digital prevention services is enabling a healthier population and easing strain on services with the power of digital approaches.
2:25 pm - 3:10 pm

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

Interested in sponsoring?
3:15 pm - 4:30 pm

Main Room

Networking business meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
4:35 pm - 4:55 pm

Main Room

Digitally efficient job planning to get the best out of a stretched workforce

Nigel Scawn

Medical Director
Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust

Explore Countess of Chester Hospital NHS FT’s workforce planning programme which is helping the trust to meet rising demand and patient complexity. Hear how the Medical Director investigated the input of the trusts workforce in order t...

Explore Countess of Chester Hospital NHS FT’s workforce planning programme which is helping the trust to meet rising demand and patient complexity. Hear how the Medical Director investigated the input of the trusts workforce in order to understand and transform and enhance service delivery, improving staff wellbeing allowing for better and more efficient care for patients.
4:55 pm - 5:15 pm

Main Room

Closing keynote – Digital first: driving productivity and value

David Walliker

Chief Digital and Information Officer
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

In this closing Keynote Prof. David Walliker will explore how digital innovation can unlock productivity gains and financial sustainability across the NHS. This session will examine practical strategies for leveraging technology—such a...

In this closing Keynote Prof. David Walliker will explore how digital innovation can unlock productivity gains and financial sustainability across the NHS. This session will examine practical strategies for leveraging technology—such as data-driven care, automation, and integrated platforms—to deliver better outcomes for patients and staff while meeting the ambitions of the 10-Year Plan.
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Main Room

Hotel check-in / free time

Overlooking the Manchester metropolis, the 23-story Hilton Deansgate hotel is in the heart of the city center. Manchester Arena and Piccadilly Station are a mile away and we are surrounded by museums, shops and restaurants. Wake up to fl...

Overlooking the Manchester metropolis, the 23-story Hilton Deansgate hotel is in the heart of the city center. Manchester Arena and Piccadilly Station are a mile away and we are surrounded by museums, shops and restaurants. Wake up to floor-to-ceiling views and spend the evening sipping cocktails at Cloud 23- the highest bar in the city. Our health club features a fitness center, indoor pool, sauna and steam room
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Main Room

Drinks reception and networking dinner

Networking sessions – throughout the event we host a networking lunch as well as a dinner and drinks reception to give you ample opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers over the learnings from the event. Dinner is served i...

Networking sessions – throughout the event we host a networking lunch as well as a dinner and drinks reception to give you ample opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers over the learnings from the event. Dinner is served in formal-style seating to a set menu. Our delegate team will speak to you to ensure we cater for any specific dietary requirements.

27 February 2026

8:45 am - 8:55 am

Main Room

Chair’s opening remarks

Abigail is the Chief Digital, Infrastructure and Improvement Officer at Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) and Vice Chair of the Digital Health CIO Advisory Panel. She is passionate about transforming health and care for all people by harnessing technology and data and using a methodologically driven approach to improve the way we deliver services. She is an advocate for clinical leadership and co-design with patients, providing the space for staff, patients and technical teams to work together to generate and test ideas, challenge the status quo, and innovate.

Over 20 years in the NHS Abigail has worked alongside some of the world’s leading healthcare improvers and thought leaders and developed partnerships with industry, academia and health and social care to deliver change demonstrating that it is possible to get the basics right, deliver a safe infrastructure whilst radically transforming services and creating the conditions for digital innovation.

At LSCFft Abigail has Executive responsibility for Digital, Estates, Health and Safety, Improvement and Health Inequalities.

For four years prior to LSCft she was the CIO at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) where she led the teams to significantly improve digital maturity. Before NWAS Abigail spent 10 years working in improvement and innovation in Salford. During this time, she worked regionally and nationally to deliver national measurement systems, large scale change programmes and provide support to teams testing innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges across the NHS.

Abigail Harrison

Chief Digital, Infrastructure and Improvement Officer
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Welcome to Day 2 of HPN North!
8:55 am - 9:25 am

Main Room

Opening keynote panel - Collaborative working at scale: Digital implementation across multiple trusts

Hayley Grafton

Chief Nursing Information Officer
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Ramandeep is an enthusiastic individual, who is passionate about digital transformation and innovation, united digital clinical leadership, patient safety and raising the profile of digital pharmacy. She is currently the Chief Clinical Information Officer at University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and won CCIO of the Year in 2024 and was shortlisted for HSJ Digital Leader of the Year in 2025. She has completed the Digital Health.London Pioneer Fellowship Programme and Cohort 4 of the NHS Digital Health Leadership Academy. She is proud to be co-vice chair of the CCIO Digital Health Network Advisory Panel, a member of the BCS, RPS, Shuri Network & UKCPA.

Ramandeep Kaur

Chief Clinical Information Officer
University Hosptials of Northamptonshire NHS Group

Andy Carruthers

Group Chief Technology Innovation Officer
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University Hospitals Northamptonshire

Abigail is the Chief Digital, Infrastructure and Improvement Officer at Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) and Vice Chair of the Digital Health CIO Advisory Panel. She is passionate about transforming health and care for all people by harnessing technology and data and using a methodologically driven approach to improve the way we deliver services. She is an advocate for clinical leadership and co-design with patients, providing the space for staff, patients and technical teams to work together to generate and test ideas, challenge the status quo, and innovate.

Over 20 years in the NHS Abigail has worked alongside some of the world’s leading healthcare improvers and thought leaders and developed partnerships with industry, academia and health and social care to deliver change demonstrating that it is possible to get the basics right, deliver a safe infrastructure whilst radically transforming services and creating the conditions for digital innovation.

At LSCFft Abigail has Executive responsibility for Digital, Estates, Health and Safety, Improvement and Health Inequalities.

For four years prior to LSCft she was the CIO at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) where she led the teams to significantly improve digital maturity. Before NWAS Abigail spent 10 years working in improvement and innovation in Salford. During this time, she worked regionally and nationally to deliver national measurement systems, large scale change programmes and provide support to teams testing innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges across the NHS.

Abigail Harrison

Chief Digital, Infrastructure and Improvement Officer
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

The East Midlands Acute Provider (EMAP) collaborative has been a partnership across nine trusts aiming to implement similar digital systems throughout the region, assisting each other on their roadmap to delivering digital systems at sca...

The East Midlands Acute Provider (EMAP) collaborative has been a partnership across nine trusts aiming to implement similar digital systems throughout the region, assisting each other on their roadmap to delivering digital systems at scale.
9:25 am - 9:45 am

Main Room

Platinum sponsor presentation

Interested in sponsoring?
9:45 am - 9:50 am

Main Room

Breakout discussion sessions

Our breakout workshop sessions will focus on four tracks:

1. Innovation, implementation and deployment
2. Workforce management and development
3. Community and neighbourhood care best practice
4. Using patient da...

Our breakout workshop sessions will focus on four tracks:

1. Innovation, implementation and deployment
2. Workforce management and development
3. Community and neighbourhood care best practice
4. Using patient data for improved outcomes
9:50 am - 10:15 am

Main Room

Quick wins and frugal innovation: how do we get the best out of the tools we already have?

Claire has over 20 years of healthcare expertise and brings a wealth of experience as a finance and innovation professional. She joins from Alder Hey Children’s where her previous role was Managing Director of Innovation and Commercial Director. At Alder Hey, Claire headed up the award-winning Innovation Centre, which includes a large team of over 40 healthcare open innovation experts that delivers the systematic approach to solving healthcare challenges through harnessing emerging technologies. Before working in innovation, Claire spent her previous career in various senior finance roles in the NHS including as Operational Finance Director at Alder Hey where she was part of the team who delivered the new hospital build and EPR in 2015. Claire graduated as an Orthoptist from the University of Liverpool, before deciding to progress her career in healthcare leadership.

Other roles include:
• Member of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Innovation Board
• Advisor to Objectivity Healthcare Board

Claire Liddy

Chief Financial Officer
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Robert Robson

Head of DDaT Strategy and Data Management
NHS Business Services Authority

Abigail is the Chief Digital, Infrastructure and Improvement Officer at Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) and Vice Chair of the Digital Health CIO Advisory Panel. She is passionate about transforming health and care for all people by harnessing technology and data and using a methodologically driven approach to improve the way we deliver services. She is an advocate for clinical leadership and co-design with patients, providing the space for staff, patients and technical teams to work together to generate and test ideas, challenge the status quo, and innovate.

Over 20 years in the NHS Abigail has worked alongside some of the world’s leading healthcare improvers and thought leaders and developed partnerships with industry, academia and health and social care to deliver change demonstrating that it is possible to get the basics right, deliver a safe infrastructure whilst radically transforming services and creating the conditions for digital innovation.

At LSCFft Abigail has Executive responsibility for Digital, Estates, Health and Safety, Improvement and Health Inequalities.

For four years prior to LSCft she was the CIO at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) where she led the teams to significantly improve digital maturity. Before NWAS Abigail spent 10 years working in improvement and innovation in Salford. During this time, she worked regionally and nationally to deliver national measurement systems, large scale change programmes and provide support to teams testing innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges across the NHS.

Abigail Harrison

Chief Digital, Infrastructure and Improvement Officer
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

With the constant calls for transformation within the NHS, hear from organisational leaders on how to get the best value out of the tools your organisation has.
10:20 am - 10:40 am

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

Interested in sponsoring?
10:45 am - 11:45 am

Main Room

Networking business meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
11:50 am - 12:10 pm

Main Room

Fireside chat – Establishing sustainable population health by addressing health inequalities

Abdul Razaq

Director of Public Health
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Ian Ashworth

Director of Population Health
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

“From Sickness to prevention”, this requires collaboration between local government and the healthcare system. Explore how tackling health inequalities is key to creating healthier, more prosperous communities.
12:15 pm - 12:40 pm

Main Room

What does patient empowerment and partnership look like?

Accessibility and Inclusive Design Strategist, NHS England | Disability and Neurodiversity Advocate

Claire Dellar is a digital health leader and accessibility strategist with over two decades of experience delivering nationally significant NHS transformation programmes, including digital primary care, eReferrals and cervical screening. As a neurodivergent, disabled and female professional, Claire brings lived experience from several marginalised perspectives — insights she uses to challenge conventional design thinking and drive a more human-centred approach to digital transformation.

At HPN North, Claire will explore how universal design is not a niche consideration but a core enabler of equitable health and care. Drawing on her experiences as both a product leader and a patient navigating access barriers, she illustrates how exclusion in digital and physical design perpetuates health inequalities and how inclusion unlocks innovation and better outcomes for all.

Through her work with NHS England and her personal advocacy platform, Claire champions accessible, trauma-informed design and authentic inclusion across the health ecosystem. Her mission: to ensure that the people most in need of care are never the ones left behind by its design.

Claire Dellar

Lead Product Manager & Accessibility and Inclusive Design Strategist
NHS England

Discover how collaborating with patients and amplifying their voices creates meaningful connections and produces more effective and safe care.
12:45 pm - 1:15 pm

Main Room

Keynote panel - The power of a data-led NHS

Ryan Higgins

Deputy Head of Business Intelligence
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Robert Robson

Head of DDaT Strategy and Data Management
NHS Business Services Authority

Rush Miah

Associate Director of Data, Analytics and AI
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Matt Oakes

Head of Intelligence and Analytics
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Data was an integral component in the 10-year plan, it is underpinned and crucial to several areas of the plan such as: Neighbourhood care, the single patient record and preventative care. Join our data and analytics leaders as they demo...

Data was an integral component in the 10-year plan, it is underpinned and crucial to several areas of the plan such as: Neighbourhood care, the single patient record and preventative care. Join our data and analytics leaders as they demonstrate and discuss the potential of data in health and care.
1:15 pm - 1:35 pm

Main Room

Closing keynote address – The value of innovation in transformation

Richard Stubbs

Chief Executive
Health innovation Yorkshire and Humber

The session will be focused on discussing how to create an atmosphere and system that enables successful change, innovation and helps to achieve the aims of the 10-year plan.
1:35 pm - 1:40 pm

Main Room

Chair's closing remarks
1:40 pm - 2:30 pm

Main Room

Networking lunch

An opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers to talk over the learnings from the event. Lunch is served buffet style and a range of options are available to cater for different dietary requirements.
9:50 am - 10:15 am

Breakout Room 1

The evolution of Digital clinical career pathways and how it should be

Chief Clinical Information Officer at MBHT, Specialty Doctor in Urology, and Clinical Lead for the Lancashire & South Cumbria shared EPR programme. A career nurse-turned-doctor, Sarah Hart brings a unique clinical and digital perspective to healthcare transformation. Passionate about innovation, she leads the Ambient Voice Technology Steering Group, advocating for MBHT as a national exemplar site. With a ChM in Urology (Distinction), academic foundation training, and a strong track record in digital leadership, she aims to influence national policy, create meaningful transformation to benefit staff and patients, and grow a collaborative digital network to improve patient care and system efficiency.

Sarah Hart

Chief Clinical Information Officer
University Hospitals of Morcambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

Iolanda Pedrosa

Chief Information Officer
Whittington Health NHS Trust

Misbah Mahmood is an accomplished healthcare leader serving as CXIO and Clinical Safety Officer at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, a specialist provider of mental health, community, and learning disability services.

With a background in midwifery and over a decade of clinical practice, Misbah brings a unique blend of frontline insight and digital innovation.

At Bradford, she leads digital transformation and patient experience strategies, ensuring technology enhances care quality, safety, and equity.

Her work champions inclusive design and co-production, particularly in mental health services, where she drives improvements in digital access, clinical safety, and patient outcomes.

Misbah Mahmood

Chief X Information Officer and Clinical Safety Officer
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust

Join this discussion to learn how frontline health professionals can move into digital leadership, and what future career pathways should look like to support that journey.
12:15 pm - 12:40 pm

Breakout Room 1

Getting technology into the patients and staff hands today whilst maintaining patient safety

Victoria Faint

Lead Nurse for Digital Patient Safety
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Iolanda Pedrosa

Chief Information Officer
Whittington Health NHS Trust

Tom Micklewright

ICB Clinical Lead for Digital Transformation
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

This session explores practical strategies for rapidly deploying digital tools and medical technologies that empower both patients and staff. As well as discussing regulatory requirements, integration challenges, and workforce adoption, ...

This session explores practical strategies for rapidly deploying digital tools and medical technologies that empower both patients and staff. As well as discussing regulatory requirements, integration challenges, and workforce adoption, while protect patient wellbeing.
9:50 am - 10:15 am

Breakout Room 2

Case Study: Liverpool’s data led approach to community care

Andrea Astbury

Programme Director, Data into Action
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

Ian Ashworth

Director of Population Health
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

Liverpool has been using population-level data, joined-up digital platforms and place-based partnerships to improve community health, target vulnerable groups, and better coordinate care across health and social services.
12:15 pm - 12:40 pm

Breakout Room 2

Real world experiences from neighbourhood health initiatives

I am a GP by background with an interest in frailty of all aetiologies, and am the Chesterfield and Dronfield Clinical Lead for Team Up Derbyshire. I am passionate about person-centred care and multi-disciplinary team working. Outside of work, I have 4 young children including twins, one of whom is profoundly deaf and so I’m currently studying level 2 British Sign Language. Life is busy! For downtime I enjoy walking our 1 year old labrador and Sitting Down.

Lucy Plant

Lead Community Specialist GP
Chesterfield and Dronfield PCN

Dr Ian Lawrence

Ian Lawrence is the Chief Clinical Information Officer and Clinical Director for Integration at Derbyshire Community Health Services FT (DCHS).

An inspirational leader, Ian is interested in human factors for change and how behavioural science can improve transformation in complex systems.

A former GP, he left clinical practice in 2019 and is the ‘Neighbourhood Coach’ for Derbyshire.

Ian conceived and leads Team Up Derbyshire, a programme that uses strengths-based approaches to integrate neighbourhood teams across General Practice, Community Health, and Adult Social Care. The success of Team Up is in its spread – integrating teams in multiple neighbourhoods and across multiple sectors.

Ian Lawrence

Chief Clinical Information Officer and Clinical Director
Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust

Sarah Launt

General Manager
Chesterfield and Dronfield PCN and Home Visiting Service Arc Primary Care Network

An experienced NHS leader with 19 years in community services, including 15 in leadership. Skilled in-service transformation and urgent care innovation. Successfully launched the Rapid Response service (2019) and steered teams through COVID-19, pioneering virtual triage and remote workforce strategies. Committed to improving patient outcomes through adaptive leadership.

I believe in compassionate, person-centred care that is accessible and responsive. I value:

• Integrity in decision-making and leadership.
• Empowerment of teams through inclusion and shared learning.
• Accountability for high standards and safe care delivery.
• Innovation to improve patient journeys and service access.

Gemma Cooke

Clinical Service Manager
Derbyshire Community Health Service

After being referenced in the NHS 10-Year plan as an exemplar for a neighbourhood care model, Team Up Derbyshire will cover their experiences in this best practice session.
9:50 am - 10:15 am

Breakout Room 3

Shared care records best practice and the roadmap to single patient record

Saif Ahmed

Associate Medical Director
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Cara Afzal – Programme Director for Data & Digital, Health Innovation Manchester

Cara is currently Programme Director for Data and Digital, Health Innovation Manchester. In her previous roles, Cara has led initiatives across the acute, mental health, primary care, and local government sectors. She has successfully managed multi-disciplinary teams and collaborated with industry, academic, and NHS partners to develop and deliver innovative transformation programmes. Cara has a keen interest in innovation and is passionate about translating evidence into practice, integrated care and patient empowerment.

She has led significant projects involving the development and deployment of large-scale innovations. Most notably, she was involved in a large-scale Electronic Patient Record (EPR) deployment, recognised as one of the largest digital transformations programmes undertaken within the NHS. Cara has also served as Divisional Director for Medicine, Outpatients, and Complex Health in the acute sector, which has expanded her understanding of the challenges faced by frontline staff.

Cara Afzal

Programme Director for Digital and Data
Health Innovation Manchester

Lee Rickles is the Director and CIO of Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, Interweave Digital, and Yorkshire & Humber Care Record. A BCS Fellow, FEDIP Leading Practitioner, and CHIME-certified Health CIO, he has 30 years of experience in transformation and programme management, including 20 years in NHS digital transformation. He leads the Yorkshire & Humber Care Record and Secure Data Environment, serves as SRO for mental health digital transformation, and holds roles on the PRSB advisory board, National ICS Digital Council, and Interoperability Advisory Group. He is also Vice Chair of the Northern, Yorkshire, and Humberside Digital Informatics Forum.

Lee Rickles

Chief Information Officer and Director
Humber Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Hear from leading exemplars of shared care record initiatives from across the country as they deliberate on the still-prospective single patient record.
12:15 pm - 12:40 pm

Breakout Room 3

Real use cases of Genomics used for preventive care

Videha Sharma

Clinical Innovation Lead at Pnakhurst Institute
University of Manchester

Dr John McDermott is a Clinical Geneticist and an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer at the University of Manchester. He was the UK’s first Academic Clinical Fellow in Genomic Medicine. His research focuses on the application and assessment of genomics in acute and everyday healthcare settings. Dr McDermott currently leads a range of academic programmes investigating the implementation of genomics in global health systems, exploring the interface between genomics, informatics and service development. He is co-founder of a health technology consultancy, Fava Health, which creates the technical infrastructure to make genomics part of everyday care.

John McDermott

Clinical Geneticist and NIHR Academic Lecturer in Personalised Medicine
University of Manchester

Dr Ahmad Maatouk, MD, FRCP (UK), PgDip, EDSI, is a Stroke and Acute Medicine Consultant and Clinical Lead for Stroke Services at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH). He leads the Trust’s digital transformation of stroke services and serves as the Point of Care Ultrasound Lead.

Ahmad also holds roles as Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield and Educational Lead for Stroke Medicine for the Yorkshire & Humber Deanery. His clinical and academic interests include advanced imaging, personalised medicine, and post-stroke spasticity management.

DBTH is one of only four NHS sites in England piloting CYP2C19 genetic testing for stroke patients, a programme Ahmad leads to integrate precision therapeutics into stroke pathways. He has contributed to major national trials including FOCUS, RESTART, and serves as Principal Investigator for the TRICEPS trial.

Ahmad Maatouk

Consultant Stroke Physician
Doncaster Royal Infirmary

“This (10-year) Plan will put the NHS at the front of the global genomics revolution and make the NHS the most artificial-intelligence -enabled care system in the world.” Join this breakout session to hear from Genomics currently bei...

“This (10-year) Plan will put the NHS at the front of the global genomics revolution and make the NHS the most artificial-intelligence -enabled care system in the world.” Join this breakout session to hear from Genomics currently being used in practice