NHS Leadership Forum, July 2026
2 July 2026
11:00 - 17:30
In-person
Goodenough College, Mecklenburgh Square, London, WC1N 2AB
Race equality
Neighbourhood health
Leadership
Overview
Connect with leaders from across the sector
Bringing together chairs, chief executives and equivalent leaders from across different parts of the sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this inaugural forum is your opportunity to explore national developments and their impact on your organisation, share learning and network with peers.
Why this matters
This forum is provides a valuable safe space to explore shared challenges and gain the latest insights on national developments.
Operating under Chatham House Rule, this member-only forum will provide you an opportunity to:
- Hear from government and national body leaders on key issues affecting your role and its requirements.
- Participate in professional development sessions with experts, with the opportunity to influence future national policy.
- Share ideas, exchange learning and hear case studies of innovative work being done across the sector.
- Engage in interactive sessions to ask questions and share your thoughts.
- Have open and honest discussions with peers in breakout sessions.
Agenda
Thursday 2 July
10:00Registration, refreshments and networking
10:30Welcome
Chair's introduction
Vice-chair, The NHS Alliance
Sir Terence Stephenson
10:40Session 1
Strategic policy update
A presentation on strategic policy issues and developments, sharing analysis on what these may mean for the health sector, with opportunity for Q&A and discussion throughout.
Chief Executive, The NHS Alliance
Sir Ciarán Devane
Deputy Director of Policy, The NHS Alliance
David Williams
11:20Session 2
Neighbourhood Health: What it takes to shift to a preventative model of care
This session will explore what it takes to move from an acute and reactive‑focused system towards neighbourhood‑based, preventative care that improves outcomes while alleviating long‑term operational pressure. Bringing together system, commissioning, provider, and primary care perspectives to reflect on what's working, what remains difficult, and where leadership efforts need to be focused next.
12:10Comfort break
12:25Session 3
EDI: from policy to practice
This session will explore the role of NHS leaders in addressing inequality and embedding anti-racist leadership across organisations and systems. The discussion will reflect on challenges, opportunities and practical actions needed to create more inclusive cultures and drive meaningful change across health and care.
Director, Implementation, NHS Race and Health Observatory
Dr Nandi Simpson
Research Fellow, Middlesex University
Roger Kline
13:15Lunch and networking
14:15Session 4
Leading under pressure: resetting the relationship between the centre, systems and local leaders
This panel session will explore what effective, sustainable NHS leadership looks like amid ongoing pressure and evolving relationships between the Centre, ICBs and provider leaders. Sharing personal reflections and facilitated discussion, panellists will examine how structural, relational and cultural conditions can enable (or inhibit) effective leadership.
hief Executive, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
'Foluke Ajayi
15:05Session 5
Breakout session: cross-sector mixed groups
This session will invite attendees to participate in table discussions to explore key themes facing leaders across health and care.
15:50Closing comments
16:00Networking
Peer networking and refreshments
Following 4:30pm, colleagues are invited to stay back and engage in further networking opportunities. Please do take advantage of this extended time to connect with peers, share insights, and build valuable connections. Refreshments will be available.
Please note, our agenda is still in development for this event so session timings may be subject to change. We will share more details over the coming weeks of further sessions and speakers.
Forum chair and speakers
Sir Terence Stephenson
Chair
NHS Providers
Professor Sir Terence Stephenson is Nuffield Professor of Child Health at UCL’s Great Ormond Street Institute. He chaired the UK GMC (2015 to 2018), the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (2012 to 2014), and was president of the Royal College of Paediatrics (2009 to 2012), and chair of the Health Research Authority until January 2025 and became chair of NHS Providers in February 2025. He was knighted in 2018 and has been a senior NIHR investigator since 2022. He has authored over 330 publications and seven textbooks, with £15m in research funding. He’s held academic and leadership roles in Nottingham and London, and has been an elected honorary fellow of 11 international colleges or academies.
Sir Ciarán Devane
Chief Executive
The NHS Alliance
David Williams
Deputy Director of Policy
The NHS Alliance
'Foluke Ajayi
Chief Executive
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Nandi Simpson
Director, Implementation
NHS Race and Health Observatory
Roger Kline
Research Fellow
Middlesex University
How to book
Attendance is free, however you will need to book in advance to receive event details ahead of the forum.
If you have any questions, or would like to be added to the mailing list to hear about future events and NHS Providers resources, please contact the Forum team.
Who should attend
This network is designed leaders from across NHS trusts, ICBs, community CICs and primary care collaboratives across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This includes:
- Chairs, chief executives and other equivalent leaders.