Key points from Lord Darzi's report covered at HETT Show

On 12th September, 2024, Lord Darzi released his landmark report on the current state of the NHS, shedding light on urgent areas for improvement and diagnosing key challenges facing the UK's healthcare system.  

This comprehensive analysis comes just days ahead of the upcoming HETT Show (September 24-25th), where many sessions will directly address the report's critical findings and explore solutions for the future of healthcare. 

HETT panels relating directly to key points in the summary  

A key quote from the report “There must be a major tilt towards technology to unlock productivity. In particular, the hundreds of thousands of NHS staff working outside hospitals urgently need the benefits of digital systems. There is enormous potential in AI to transform care and for life sciences breakthroughs to create new treatments.”   

HETT Show will showcase the critical role of technology in advancing healthcare, focusing on how a stronger emphasis on digital innovation can unlock significant productivity gains. 

The following key points of the report will be addressed at HETT Show: 

People are struggling to see their GP 

Closing Keynote Panel: The Gateway to Care – General Practice's Role in Integrating Health and Social Systems 

This session explores how General Practice collaborates with the broader health and care system to enhance patient care. Hear stories of GP practices linking with community care and social prescribing services. The discussion will focus on defining the role of General Practice in proactive, reactive, and planned care, as well as the progress and challenges of integrating it with the wider system. 

• Carolyn Manuel-Barkin, Independent Digital Health Consultant  
• Ravi Tomar, GP and Executive Partner, Bourne Health  
• Mayur Vibhuti, CCIO & GP Clinical Lead for Digital, NHS Kent and Medway  
• Matthew Walker, Joint CEO, NAPC  
• Minal Bakhai MBE, National Director for Primary Care and Community Transformation, NHS England 

Waiting times for hospital procedures have ballooned 

The event will delve into the urgent need for digital systems to support the vast number of NHS staff working outside hospitals, ensuring they have access to the tools and technologies that enhance their work. Key sessions addressing this topic include:   

Clearing the Path: Digital Strategies for Tackling the NHS Elective Backlog 

This session will explore how to prioritise waiting lists to ensure patients with the greatest need are treated first, sharing success stories from those reducing wait times, and exploring scalable solutions. Topics include alternative methods, potential outpatient care redesign, virtual wards, and how digital tools can help patients maintain their health while awaiting treatment. 

• Graham Walsh, Medical Director & Consultant Knee Surgeon, Yorkshire & Humber Health Innovation Network  
• Darrien Bold, Head of Elective Care, NHS England 
• Ravi Tomar, GP and Executive Partner, Bourne Health  
• John Jeans, National CLEAR Lead, The National CLEAR Programme  
• Matt Parkinson, Head of Commercial Operations, Induction Healthcare  
• Ramai Santhirapala, Consultant Anaesthetist and Digital Innovator, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT 

Empowering Collaboration: How Digital Can Support Seamless Care Integration Between Community Services and the NHS   

Hear from those working in communities on how they are supporting the NHS in care delivery, with a focus on easing pressure on acute services through intermediate care pathways. Learn how digital tools can connect voluntary services with primary and secondary care, and support social prescribing. Explore the vital role of community involvement in sustainable healthcare. 

• Jocelyn Palmer, Programme Director – OneLondon, North East London ICB  
• Caroline McCallum, Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist, Homerton Healthcare NHS FT 
• Sirinda Bhandal, Not for Profit & Voluntary Sector Consultant 
• Sam Hall, Director of Primary, Community and Mental Health Digital Services, DHCW  
• Steve Peddie, Care and Improvement Adviser (National, Digital), Local Government Association  
• Jason Grant, Lived Experience Consultant, North London Mental Health Partnership 

Cancer care still lags behind other countries 

Digital Innovations in Cancer Care: Enhancing Support, Prevention, and Wellbeing Across the Entire Care Pathway - sponsored by AstraZeneca 

This session examines how digital services are currently supporting cancer care delivery and contributing to the NHS Long Term Plan's focus on preventative care. Discussions will highlight how digital tools can enhance patient support throughout the entire cancer care pathway and identify opportunities for improvement. 

• Shanil Mantri, CCIO & CSO, NHS BSW ICS  
• Jonathan Gregory, Honorary Research Fellow - Computational Oncology Group & Digital Co-theme Lead, Imperial College London & NIHR Health Technology Research Centre for Devices, Digital and Robotics  
• Lucy George, Head of Business Innovation, Oncology, AstraZeneca UK  
• Anthony Cunliffe, Joint Clinical Director, South East London Cancer Care Alliance  
• Joseph Lillington, Senior Data Scientist, Health Economics Unit   
• Seema Dadhania, Clinical Oncologist & CRUK Convergence Science PhD Fellow, Imperial College London 

The NHS budget is not being spent where it should be – too great a share is being spent in hospitals, too little in the community, and productivity is too low 

The Health and Care Productivity Paradox 

This session will explore the potential unintended consequences of prioritising efficiency and productivity in healthcare transformation. It will examine the impact of people factors on frontline care, the lack of specific training funding on productivity, and the frustrations caused by a mix of paper and digital systems.  

• Sara Nelson, Programme Director, Digital Health.London 
• Gopesh Farmah, GP, CCIO for Primary Care, Herts and West Essex ICB 
• Mark Bailey, Locum Respiratory Consultant & Clinician Who Codes 
• Nilesh Bharakhada, GP Partner & Executive Clinical Director for Health & Care, PRSB 

Patient engagement. The patient voice is not loud enough 

The Patients Will See You Now – How Public Engagement Contributes to the Development of Digital Services 

This session highlights the importance of including patients in the development of healthcare services and the critical role of public engagement and feedback. Discover how patient input can help address health inequalities and improve service delivery. It will also cover how feedback reveals unintended consequences of digital services and provides insights into enhancing guidance, information, and awareness to better serve diverse patient needs. 

• Claire Dellar, Accessibility and Inclusive Design Strategist, NHS England  
• Ruth Ajayi, Patient Advocate & Lay Chair – Advisory Appointment Committee, Barts NHS Foundation Trust 
• Shanker Vijay, GP Lead, Digital Transformation – Primary Care (London region), NHS England  
• Rochelle Gold, Head of User Research & User Centred Design, NHS England  
• Peter Zein, Advocate for Technology in Communication and Care  
• Sara Shaw, Professor of Health Policy and Practice, University of Oxford 

Staff engagement. Too many staff are disengaged 

Opening Keynote Panel – Bringing Digital Technology and People Together 

This session explores staff and end-user expectations for healthcare technology, focusing on promoting digital clinical safety through proper governance. It will cover the importance of collaboration across skill sets, avoiding digital burnout, and managing leadership challenges in digital advocacy. Additionally, discussions will highlight the role of centralised staff apps and training records to improve clinical safety across organisations. 

• Angela Maragna, Co-Founder, One HealthTech 
• Sheikh Mateen Ellahi, GP Partner, Elm Street Surgery  
• Sarah Hayden, Director of People Operations, Kent Community Health NHS FT  
• Tahreema Matin, Associate Medical Director, Workforce, Training & Education, NHS England  
• Zehra Safdar, Head of Operations, SWL Training Hub 

Additionally, the show will spotlight the immense potential of AI to revolutionise patient care and explore how breakthroughs in life sciences can lead to the development of new, cutting-edge treatments  

Join the conversation at HETT Show 

Lord Darzi's recent report underscores the need for transformation in the NHS, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities facing the healthcare system. As we approach HETT Show (September 24-25th, ExCeL London), this is a pivotal moment to engage with the key findings of the report and explore innovative solutions. 

Join us at HETT Show to dive deep into how technology can enhance efficiency, tackle waiting times, and improve patient care. Attend sessions addressing critical issues from Lord Darzi’s report, from integrating General Practice with broader health systems to leveraging digital tools in cancer care and addressing health inequalities through patient feedback. 

Through these discussions, HETT will provide a platform for exploring the future of healthcare innovation. This is your chance to be part of the conversation and contribute to shaping the future of healthcare. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to collaborate with experts and peers at the forefront of digital health transformation.