Transforming Operating Theatres to Improve Patient Outcomes
Driving Pathway Performance, Safety and Technology across Perioperative Care
We regret to announce the cancellation of the National Surgical Care Summit, which was
due to take place on Tuesday 2 June at the QEII Centre in Westminster, London.
This decision has not been taken lightly. Due to a combination of challenging market conditions and
rising delivery costs, the event is unfortunately no longer viable to run at the standard we expect and
that this community deserves.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our speakers, sponsors and delegates who
had committed their time, expertise and, in the case of our sponsors, their budgets to support the Summit.
Your enthusiasm and willingness to contribute to advancing surgical care made this
an incredibly promising event, and we are truly grateful for your support and understanding.
Platinum Partner
Gold Partner
Seminar Partner
Partner
Supporters of Our Other Events include:
Overview
Leading Innovation.
Enhancing Patient Outcomes.
In today’s healthcare environment, the pressure on operating theatres and elective surgery pathways has never been greater. Rising demand, workforce challenges and capacity constraints continue to test the resilience of surgical services. This Summit brings together clinical leaders, theatre managers, surgeons, anaesthetists, operational teams and system partners to share practical solutions for improving productivity and patient outcomes.
Through case studies, expert presentations and interactive discussions, delegates will explore how NHS trusts are optimising scheduling, leveraging digital tools and redesigning pathways to reduce waiting times. Sessions focus on theatre utilisation, peri-operative optimisation, surgical hub implementation, workforce planning and the growing role of data and AI in operational decision-making.
Join us at the National Surgical Care Summit 2026 in June to hear real-world success stories, benchmark performance and take away actionable strategies that strengthen performance, accelerate elective recovery and enhance patient care.
All in just one day
What’s On in 2026
Don’t miss out
Why You Should Attend
2026 Agenda
Driving Pathway Performance, Safety and Technology across Perioperative Care
Conference Registration and Coffee
Arrive early to print and collect your delegate badge, and enjoy fresh coffee and pastries. Take this time to settle in, meet fellow attendees, talk to the sponsors and prepare for a full day of operating theatre insights.
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Dr Dorothy Kufeji MBA, Council Member, RCS England and Neonatal and Paediatric Surgeon, Evelina London Children’s Hospital (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Streamlining Surgical Pathways to Tackle the Elective Backlog Crisis and Waiting Times
- What progress is being made? National elective surgery backlog and waiting-time performance
- 18 months on: An update NHS England’s recovery plan and delivery milestones
- An overview of the roll out of elective surgery hub delivery
- Understanding the role of operating theatres in system productivity and transforming trust performance.
Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety, Department for Health and Social Care (Invited)
Keynote: Managing Demand: From Strategy to Action
- Setting the strategic vision: How small, incremental gains in theatre scheduling can unlock massive, system-wide capacity
- The business case for efficiency: linking reduced waiting times directly to improved patient safety and workforce morale
- A call to action for a collaborative, data-driven approach to elective recovery
- An update on GIRFT’s theatre productivity programme and key learnings.
Dr Mark Henley, President, The Confederation of British Surgery (Invited)
Platinum Partner Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Questions & Answers
This is your opportunity to engage directly with the speakers, ask questions, seek clarification, and share perspectives on the key issues transforming the operating theatres community. The session is designed to encourage open dialogue, so please feel free to raise topics that matter most to your organisation and your role.
Morning Break & Meet the Sponsors
Take a moment to stretch your legs, grab a coffee, and recharge for the sessions ahead. This is also a great opportunity to visit our exhibition area, meet our event partners, and connect with fellow delegates. Whether you’re looking to explore new solutions or simply have a chat with peers, make the most of this networking break.
Keynote: Building a Culture of Surgical Safety
- Moving from a blame culture to a just culture to encourage a non-punitive incident and systemic learning
- The role of human factors training in multidisciplinary surgical teams to improve communication and decision-making
- Never events and near misses: Strengthening local safety governance and embedding continuous learning.
Professor Scarlett McNally, Deputy Director, Centre for Perioperative Care and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (CONFIRMED)
Delivering High Flow Surgical Lists: Learning from the Further Faster20 Programme
- Understanding how high flow surgical models are driving significant improvements in theatre productivity and elective recovery
- Hear practical insights from sites implementing high flow lists—covering team coordination, patient selection, scheduling and performance monitoring to increase throughput without compromising quality or safety
- Assessing how to apply the Further Faster20 methodology within your own organisation, ensuring long-term efficiency gains, staff engagement and improved patient outcomes.
Dr Imran Ahmed, Consultant Anaesthetist, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust (Invited)
Gold Partner Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Questions & Answers
This is your opportunity to engage directly with the speakers, ask questions, seek clarification, and share perspectives on the key issues transforming the operating theatres community. The session is designed to encourage open dialogue, so please feel free to raise topics that matter most to your organisation and your role.
Move Rooms for the Breakout Sessions
Seminar 1: Optimising Peri-operative Care: Redesigning Integrated Surgical Pathways to Improve Theatre Utilisation and Patient Readiness for Surgery
- Implementing robust patient optimisation programmes to reduce last-minute surgical cancellations
- The role of pre-operative assessment in risk stratification and ensuring patients are fit for theatre before the slot is booked
- Exploring how patient readiness translates to reduced length of stay and better post-operative outcomes.
Professor Denny Levett, Director, Centre for Perioperative Care and Consultant in Perioperative Medicine and Critical Care, Southampton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CONFIRMED)
Seminar 2: Establishing Elective Surgical Hubs that Meet Local Need to Deliver Ring-Fenced Capacity
- Exploring the different models of elective hubs: Case studies from high-performing Trusts
- Understanding the workforce and operational design challenges in hub configuration
- Assessing the impact on productivity, patient experience and outcomes.
Mrs Ritchie Chalmers, Chief Transformation Officer, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (Invited)
Seminar 3: Case Study of a Multi-Parallel Speciality Model Surgical Care Hub: From Concept to System Asset
- Making the case for your hub: building a data driven rationale that aligns local needs with system wide goals and patient priorities
- Creating a shared partnership framework that defines how the hub operates as a shared system asset
- Establishing leadership and delivery structures: agreeing governance, workstreams and standardised models of care
- Overcoming barriers to change: addressing organisation resistance, aligning cultures and embedding new ways of working.
Paula Quinn, Theatre Manager, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (Invited)
Seminar 4: Improving Patient Experience and Communication in Elective Surgical Care
- How patient power and agency can incentivise improvement in services and access
- Ensuring inclusive and transparent waiting-time communication and other factors that patients consider important
- Shared decision-making and informed consent: Empowering patient choice through informed conversation.
Rachel Power, Chief Executive, Patients Association (Invited)
Seminar 5: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Seminar 6: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Seminar 7: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Seminar 8: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Lunch, Exhibition Visit & Networking
Enjoy a buffet lunch while exploring the exhibition area and networking with fellow delegates. Take this opportunity to meet our sponsors, discover cutting-edge operating theatre solutions, and engage directly with the experts from our sponsors – leading providers in the sector. Build valuable connections and gain insights in a relaxed, collaborative setting.
Chair’s Welcome Back
Dr Dorothy Kufeji MBA, Council Member, RCS England and Neonatal and Paediatric Surgeon, Evelina London Children’s Hospital (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Establishing a Culture of Respect in Perioperative Practice
Oliver Tierney, Clinical Lead for Education, Risk & Governance, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Charity and President and Director, AfPP Ltd (CONFIRMED)
Gold Partner Session
This Gold Partner session is available to sponsor. For more information, please get in touch.
Questions & Answers
This session offers a unique opportunity to put your questions directly to the speakers and to engage in open dialogue with one of the UK’s leading providers of operating theatre solutions and services.
Move Rooms for the Breakout Sessions
Seminar 9: Unlocking Hidden Theatre Capacity: Identifying High Intensity Interventions to Enhance Surgical Productivity Without Compromising Patient Safety
- Implementing the “Golden Patient” model and optimised list-ordering principles to maximise cases per session
- Operational strategies to minimise inter-case turnover time and reduce the frequency of late theatre starts
- Effective planning between surgeons, anaesthetics, theatre and perioperative teams to reduce delays in theatre lists.
Mr Saurav Chakravartty, Consultant Upper GI and Bariatric Surgeon, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (CONFIRMED)
Seminar 10: Designing Enhanced Recovering Pathways to Minimise Hospital Stay Without Compromising Outcomes
- Ensuring full focus on ERAS protocols, multidisciplinary engagement and established feedback loops to enable continuous improvement
- Exploring early mobilisation, effective pain management and optimal nutrition on patient outcomes and length of stay
- Understanding how to effectively implement and sustain DrEaMing protocols across surgical pathways
- Ensuring continuity of recovery and reducing readmission through proactive discharge planning and community follow-up.
Mark Cheetham, National Clinical Lead for General Surgery, Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) NHS England (Invited)
Seminar 11: Case study of a Surgical Care Hub: Creating a Sustainable Single Speciality Model
- Understanding which model will work best for your hub – single speciality or parallel
- Considering the barriers to delivery: overcoming resistance to change and new ways of working
- Navigating the logistical complexities to deliver robust infrastructure and clear channels of communication.
Edward Aldus, Deputy Director of Operations, Norfolk & Norwich NHS Foundation Trust (Invited)
Seminar 12: Smart Theatres: Sustainability in the Operating Theatre
- Understanding the individual challenges of your theatre: what to prioritise
- Implementing new smart theatre initiatives that enable live data collection and real time monitoring
- Establishing sustainable procurement and supply chains beyond the theatre walls.
Mr Andrew Stevenson, Co-Chair of Sustainability, Royal College of Surgeons (Invited)
Seminar 13: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Seminar 14: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Seminar 15: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Seminar 16: Sponsored Session
For more information about running one of these partner seminar sessions, please get in touch
Afternoon Break & Refreshments
Chair’s Welcome Back
Dr Dorothy Kufeji MBA, Council Member, RCS England and Neonatal and Paediatric Surgeon, Evelina London Children’s Hospital (CONFIRMED)
Gold Partner Session
This Gold Partner session is available to sponsor, for details and to book, please get in touch
Panel Discussion: Leading Change in Operating Theatres and Elective Care: Improving Culture, Engagement and Performance
- Discussing how to build trust-wide improvement cultures that sustain high performance
- Exploring ways to empower frontline innovation and staff-led change
- Identifying the leadership approaches that underpin high-reliability organisations.
Marion Dickson, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Chief Operating Officer for Surgery, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Invited)
Professor Tony Young, National Clinical Lead for Innovation, NHS England (Invited)
Professor Scarlett McNally, Deputy Director, Centre for Perioperative Care and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (CONFIRMED)
Questions & Answers
Join our final Q&A session to pose your questions to expert speakers, reflect on key themes from the day, and gain deeper insights into operating theatre challenges and solutions.
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Dr Dorothy Kufeji MBA, Council Member, RCS England and Neonatal and Paediatric Surgeon, Evelina London Children’s Hospital (CONFIRMED)
Conference Close & Networking Drinks
Join us for informal networking drinks after a packed day of insightful sessions. Wind down at the end of the day with a drink and connect with fellow attendees. Share insights, reflect on the day’s sessions, and make a few more connections before heading home. A relaxed way to round off your conference experience.
Arrive early to print and collect your delegate badge, and enjoy fresh coffee and pastries. Take this time to settle in, meet fellow attendees, talk to the sponsors and prepare for a full day of cyber security insights.
Speakers at Our Other Events
What our delegates say about our other in-person events
Testimonials
Incredibly informative, eye opening and entertaining – a lot of food for thought.
Head of Digital Delivery and Programme Office,
Judicial Appointments Commission
Great event, would recommend it to anyone within the Public Sector that’s interested in Cyber security and how various organisations are dealing with it.
Senior Business Analyst,
Ministry of Justice
A completely inspiring day with the experts in their given field all present. Well facilitated with superb content and the perfect balance of networking, presentations and workshops. All thought provoking with meaningful conversations carried back to my own work place. Thank you.”
Digital Safety and Fraud Prevention Lead,
West Sussex County Council,
A pitch-perfect event for public sector cyber pros (and their cyber-curious colleagues) with a palpable friendly community vibe.
Executive Director of Technology & Digital Transformation,
British Film Institute
Great experience and some very experienced speakers with relevant and interesting presentations.
Senior Managing Consultant,
Department for Work & Pensions
A very worthwhile opportunity to hear how others in the public sector are facing information security challenges, focusing on the art of collaboration.
Cyber Security Risk Associate
Department for Business & Trade
A very informative and innovative event providing useful content for public sectors.
Cyber Protection Officer
Metropolitan Police
Highly recommend this event, great presentations, and knowledge of the presenters on the subject matter was excellent.
RPA Client Account Manager
Department for Education
The conference was very informative and the recognition of linkage between Data Protection and Cyber Security was important.
Head of IG & Security (DPO)
Solent NHS Trust
Very informative and took loads away to get on with. Increased our understanding of threat levels and mitigation tactics.
Head of IT & Digital Strategy
Anthem Schools Trust
A really good event full of insights that make you stop and think. Also, great to network with others and share ideas.
ICT Security Officer
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Excellent conference and speakers.
Cyber Security Analyst
NHS England
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How to Get to the
QEII Centre
QEII Centre, Westminster,
London
SW1P 3EE
Start
Lunch
Return
Drinks
9.00am
1.10pm
2.10pm
5.15pm