Digital Transformation: AI, EHRs, and Data Interoperability

The NHS is under immense pressure—rising demand, workforce shortages, and stretched budgets have pushed the system to its limits. In this context, digital health and artificial intelligence are often hailed as game-changers: tools that can streamline services, personalize care, and unlock new efficiencies. But can they truly deliver on that promise?

This panel brings together NHS leaders, clinicians, technologists, and patient advocates to explore the real-world impact—and limitations—of digital transformation in healthcare. We’ll examine:

• How AI is being used in diagnostics, triage, and operational planning
• The challenges of data sharing, interoperability, and digital literacy
• Ethical concerns around automation, bias, and patient trust
• What frontline staff need to make tech work for care—not just for systems

This is a conversation about hope, hype, and hard truths. Join us as we ask: Can AI and tech help save the NHS—or do we need to rethink what digital health really means?

Long wait times are one of the most visible—and painful—symptoms of strain across the NHS. From elective surgeries to mental health referrals and GP appointments, delays are eroding patient trust, stretching staff capacity, and deepening health inequalities. The challenge is urgent, but the solutions must go beyond quick fixes.

This panel brings together NHS executives, clinicians, digital health innovators, and system reformers to explore how we can meaningfully reduce wait times through both structural change and smart technology. We’ll examine:

• Root causes of delays across different parts of the NHS
• How digital tools—like AI triage, virtual wards, and predictive analytics—can improve flow and prioritisation
• The role of workforce planning, commissioning, and integrated care systems in driving reform
• What patients and frontline staff need to make solutions work in practice

This is a conversation about redesigning the system—not just patching it. Join us to explore how the NHS can move from reactive firefighting to proactive, patient-centred care.

As the NHS evolves to meet rising demand and complex health challenges, the intersection of community engagement and digital innovation is becoming increasingly vital. From virtual consultations to local health hubs, the future of care depends not just on technology—but on trust, inclusion, and collaboration.

This panel brings together NHS leaders, digital health experts, community organisers, and frontline practitioners to explore how digital tools can strengthen—not replace—the human relationships at the heart of healthcare. We’ll examine:

• How digital platforms can enhance access, equity, and personalised care
• The importance of co-designing tools with communities to ensure relevance and uptake
• Strategies for tackling digital exclusion and building digital confidence
• Real-world examples of community-led innovation and tech-enabled outreach

This is a conversation about connection—between systems and citizens, data and dignity. Join us to explore how the NHS can harness digital tools to empower communities and deliver care that’s both modern and meaningful.

As the NHS faces mounting pressures—from workforce shortages to rising demand—AI triage and virtual care are emerging as transformative tools in reshaping how patients access and experience healthcare. But while the technology promises faster, smarter, and more scalable solutions, it also raises critical questions about safety, equity, and trust.

This panel brings together NHS digital leaders, clinicians, technologists, and patient advocates to explore the evolving role of AI and virtual care in frontline services. We’ll examine:

• How AI-powered triage is being used to streamline referrals, prioritise care, and reduce bottlenecks
• The impact of virtual consultations and remote monitoring on patient outcomes and clinical workflows
• Risks around algorithmic bias, data privacy, and digital exclusion
• What governance, training, and infrastructure are needed to embed these tools safely and effectively

This is a conversation about redesigning care—not just digitising it. Join us to explore how the NHS can harness AI and virtual platforms to deliver more responsive, inclusive, and sustainable healthcare.