NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester once again provided an opportunity to catch up with time-pressed clients and colleagues in the Healthcare sector and discuss the changes and challenges they are facing. There was no shortage of topics to discuss. Ranging from workforce and productivity challenges to the growing role of digital innovation and AI in NHS services, and from the shift towards a neighbourhood-based model of care to how this fits into implementation of the NHS Modernisation Bill, the conversations showed a service dealing with short-term pressures while looking ahead to future transformation.

Our NHS experts summarise some of the conference’s key themes below.

Financial challenges

Financial pressure was a dominant theme at ConfedExpo, with organisations under significant strain to deliver savings by increasing productivity and reducing headcount. This sits alongside the picture of ongoing workforce challenges, including continued industrial relations pressures and an increase in employee relations issues.

Across the conference’s sessions, conversation focused on how to manage organisational change efficiently and effectively while maintaining a compassionate approach to staff. Leaders recognised the importance of balancing urgent cost reduction with longer-term workforce sustainability. Looking ahead, there is a clear ambition from organisations to emerge from the current uncertainty with more efficient and more productive services.

Artificial intelligence and digital change

Conversations about the use of AI are happening across all sectors and all industries, but delegates at ConfedExpo were particularly keen to discuss how the rapidly evolving technology can be used to support NHS services and increase productivity in the Healthcare sector. Practical applications are already emerging, from diagnostic tools that can detect medical conditions more quickly, to everyday uses like summarising documents, drafting reports and reducing administrative burdens through transcription and letter preparation, ultimately freeing up more time for clinical care.

These developments fall within a broader ambition to make the NHS ‘digital by default’, which is a key part of the NHS Ten Year Plan. This includes the rollout of the NHS app, the Single Patient Record and other digital solutions. However, we also heard that “getting the basics right”, in terms of having effective and responsive local IT systems to build on, was fundamental to digital improvement.

While delegates were excited about new technologies and their potential for increasing productivity, there was clear recognition that adoption must be matched with appropriate oversight – AI must be supervised in an appropriate way to ensure it is accurate and effective.

Neighbourhood health

Neighbourhood health was framed within the wider context of the NHS Modernisation Bill and its implications for local system working. A key question under discussion was how reforms will affect the role of Integrated Care Boards and their partnership with local authorities, particularly in relation to producing joint local plans. The Bill signals a significant system shift, with a stronger emphasis on community-based care alongside changes to governance, patient voice and safety frameworks.

Looking ahead, teams will be focusing on implementation of the Bill and the move towards more local, neighbourhood-based models of care. Concerns remain around increased centralisation, reduced ICB autonomy and the need to maintain clear local accountability, but there is ambition to strike the balance to ensure the reforms deliver meaningful change.

Conclusion

The overall tone was one of cautious optimism. The sector is used to dealing with transformation and workforce challenges at the same time. Clients and colleagues care deeply about their communities and the people they serve and are keen to work together across the sector to keep the service not only running effectively but thriving.

How Capsticks can help

As specialist healthcare lawyers advising the NHS for over 40 years, Capsticks’ team understands the unique challenges and opportunities that face NHS healthcare providers, commissioners and regulators. We provide a full range of legal services and our market-leading teams are actively supporting clients to deal with many of the changes and challenges at the forefront of discussions in Manchester.

If you would like to continue the discussion about any of the issues covered in this Round-Up and what they mean for your organisation, please speak to our Head of Healthcare, Andrew Rowland, or another member of the team at ConfedExpo to find out more about how Capsticks can help.