6th NHS Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Conference

Patient Flow & Care Coordination

08:30 am
07 May, 2025
etc venues Manchester, 11 Portland Street M1 3HU

6th NHS Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Conference

Patient Flow & Care Coordination

08:30 am
07 May, 2025
etc venues Manchester, 11 Portland Street M1 3HU

Current Landscape

The NHS Urgent and Emergency Care system continues to face substantial challenges, with persistent issues such as rising demand, systemic inefficiencies, and workforce shortages. Despite the implementation of the UEC Recovery 10-Point Action Plan, critical concerns remain, including high bed occupancy rates, delayed patient discharges and pressure on emergency services. These challenges highlight the need for a focused and strategic approach to overhaul UEC services and enhance their efficiency and effectiveness.

Importance and Timeliness of the Event

This conference comes at a crucial time as the NHS seeks to refine and implement its UEC strategy, focusing on both technical and operational challenges. The event is an essential platform for addressing the urgent need to optimise service delivery, improve resource utilisation and build a sustainable workforce. Given the ongoing pressures on the UEC system, this conference provides an opportunity to discuss innovative solutions and strategies that can be implemented in the short to medium term to improve outcomes and service efficiency.

Key Content Streams

The conference will feature several critical content streams, each focusing on a different aspect of UEC service transformation:

  • Enhancing 999 and 111 Services: This stream will explore the success and limitations of recent initiatives aimed at improving call-handling capacity, reducing call abandonment rates and managing ambulance handovers more effectively. The use of data analytics to predict demand and optimise resource allocation will be a key focus.
  • Maximising Urgent Treatment Centres: This stream will provide an in-depth analysis of UTCs, examining their role in alleviating pressure on emergency departments. Discussions will include the integration of UTCs with primary care and the use of real-time data to improve patient routing and care delivery.
  • Strengthening Diagnostics and Acute Services: A focus on improving access to diagnostics and acute care within UEC settings will be central to this stream. Topics will include the deployment of advanced imaging technologies, the development of rapid diagnostic pathways and the integration of point-of-care testing to reduce delays and improve patient outcomes.
  • Building a Sustainable UEC Workforce: This stream will address long-term workforce planning, including the expansion of training programs, the development of new care models such as Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) and strategies to reduce reliance on locum staff. The role of AI and automation in supporting clinical decision-making and reducing workload pressures will also be explored.

Why Attend

Attending this conference provides a unique opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the latest data-driven strategies and technological innovations that are critical to transforming UEC services. Participants will have the chance to engage with leading experts, policymakers and practitioners, offering valuable networking opportunities to share best practices and explore collaborative solutions to common challenges.

These insights will equip attendees with the tools and knowledge needed to address the complex demands of managing UEC services, making this conference an essential event for those involved in the strategic planning and operational management of NHS UEC services.

The programme

08:30

Registration & Networking

Registration - Open from 8:30 am - Closes at 11:00 am

All delegates must complete their registration process before the 11:00 AM cut-off time. Please arrive in a timely manner to allow for registration and to avoid any inconvenience. Delegates who arrive after the registration deadline will be refused entry to the event.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain the event's schedule and ensuring that everyone can fully participate in the Conference. If you have any questions or require assistance, our event staff will be available to assist you with the registration process.

Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to an insightful and productive event together!

09:30

Chair Opening Address

Chair Opening Address

09:40

Keynote presentation: Confronting the Challenges in Urgent and Emergency Care: Navigating the Current Landscape and Strategizing for the Future (Confirmed)

Charlotte Aston
National Director -
In hospital transformation - UEC

The opening keynote will focus on the pressing challenges currently facing the NHS Urgent and Emergency Care system. It will provide a detailed analysis of the current landscape, emphasizing the persistent issues of high demand, workforce shortages, and operational inefficiencies that strain the system.

The address will explore how these challenges have impacted patient care and service delivery, setting the stage for discussions on strategic solutions and innovations. This keynote will equip attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the critical areas needing transformation, highlighting the urgency of collaborative efforts to drive sustainable change within UEC services.

10:00

The Coal Face of Urgent and Emergency Care: Insights from the Front Line Panel Discussion

Andrew Stradling
Chief Medical Officer
NHS LPP, HCSA

Panellists (Invited)

  • Sam Allen CEO, NENC ICB 
  • Matthew Trainer, CEO BHR
  • Dr Emma Rowlands, COO at Homerton
  • Sarah Cato, Chair, CN Emergency Care Association
  • Neill Moloney, CEO East Ambulance Service

This panel discussion will bring together service heads and frontline leaders from across the NHS Urgent and Emergency Care system to share their firsthand experiences of what is working—and more importantly, what isn’t—in the current UEC landscape.

The discussion will delve into the operational challenges that persist at the coal face, such as workforce shortages, patient flow inefficiencies, and resource constraints. Panelists will candidly assess the effectiveness of recent initiatives, highlighting areas of success and identifying critical pain points that require immediate attention.

10:30

Main Sponsor

Main Sponsor

10:50

Morning Break

Morning Break

11:50

Chair Morning Reflection

Chair Morning Reflection

11:55

Case Study

Case Study

12:15

Case Study

Case Study

12:35

Interview session: Reiss Bond, Deputy Director of Urgent and Emergency Care at DHU Health Care CIC (Invited)

Unlocking the Potential of Urgent Treatment Centres: Enhancing Service Integration and Impact

Overview:

This fireside interview will explore the critical role of Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) in the broader healthcare ecosystem, focusing on their integration with other services to maximize efficiency and patient outcomes.

The discussion will address how UTCs can better coordinate with primary care, emergency departments, and community health services to provide seamless, patient-centered care.

Attendees will gain insights into the strategic initiatives that are driving the effective use of UTCs, and the challenges that need to be overcome to fully realise their potential in the healthcare system.

12:55

Case Study

Case Study

13:15

Lunch & Networking

Lunch & Networking

14:00

Chair Afternoon Address

Chair Afternoon Address

14:05

Case Study

Case Study

14:25

Keynote presentation - Access Across the UEC System: Exploring Front Door Models and Pathways

Dr Dan Boden, Interim National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care & Dr Tara Sood, Consultant Emergency Medicine, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, Chair, RCEM Ambulatory Emergency Care Special Interest Group, NHSI Clinical Lead SDEC (invited)

Session Overview:

This session will explore the diverse access points within the Urgent and Emergency Care system, focusing on the effectiveness and challenges of various "front door" models.

14:45

Case Study

Case Study

15:05

GIRFT in UEC Recovery: Balancing Data-Driven Insights with Practical Implementation Panel Discussion

Charlotte Aston
National Director -
In hospital transformation - UEC
  • Professor Tim Briggs CBE (Invited)
  • Dr Christopher Moulton, Clinical Lead for Emergency Medicine (Invited)
  • Charlotte Aston, National Director - In hospital transformation – UEC (Confirmed)
  • Paul Cleeland-Smith, Deputy Director of UEC Operations, NHS England, Eastern Region (invited)
  • Dr Leilah Dare, Member Southwest Clinical Senate, NHSE Regional Advisor A&E (invited)

Panel Debate Overview:

This panel debate will bring together experts and healthcare leaders to discuss the integration of the "Getting It Right First Time" (GIRFT) initiative within the Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Recovery Plan.

The debate will examine the effectiveness of GIRFT in identifying inefficiencies and improving patient outcomes across UEC services.

Panellists will address the challenges of implementing GIRFT recommendations, including balancing data-driven insights with the practical realities of frontline care. The discussion will explore differing perspectives on how best to sustain long-term improvements and drive systemic change through GIRFT.

Attendees will benefit from hearing diverse viewpoints on the practicalities and potential pitfalls of embedding GIRFT within the broader UEC recovery strategy.

15:35

Hot Buffet Food & Drinks

Hot Buffet Food & Drinks

17:00

End of Day

End of Day

Convenzisvents

Your Pass Includes....

  • Access to a leading conference speaker programme
  • Interactive Q&A sessions
  • Fireside interviews
  • Cross-sector best practice
  • Meet the supplier opportunities
  • Hot breakfast & Lunch included
  • Access to post event drinks reception and Street food

Tickets For NHS Senior Managers

We have an invite only option for NHS Senior Managers for our conference, to see if you qualify for a complimentary place please click the button below.

Register your place

Book tickets

Ticket
Price
Quantity
Charity, Not for Profit and University (In-Person)
£203.99 excl VAT
Limited places
0
Private Sector (In-Person)
£500.00 excl VAT
Limited places
0
Free NHS Ticket
£0.00 No VAT
Limited places
0

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