South West Connect Conference 2026

Event co-chairs

We are pleased to confirm that Mel De Witt and Laura Whitmore will be chairing the conference this year.  Mel will be introducing the morning sessions, and Laura will be facilitating the afternoon.

Plenary Session

Facilitator: Tim Clarke
Topic: The Future of the NHS App

This session, led by Tim Clarke, will provide an overview of the planned developments for the NHS App and its long term direction. Tim will outline how the app is expected to evolve and how this aligns with the priorities set out in the NHS 10 Year Plan. Attendees will gain insight into current thinking around the app’s future role in supporting patient access and digital services across the system.

Plenary Session

Facilitator: Emily Campbell-Ratcliffe
Topic:  AI Growth in Healthcare

We are delighted to confirm that Emily will be speaking at this year's South West Connect Conference in Exeter on May 12. Emily will be presenting on the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's recent work on AI growth and how it relates to healthcare. 

South West Snapshot Sessions

We are delighted to introduce the first South West Snapshot of 2026 — a series of short, engaging case studies showcasing the innovative and successful digital initiatives happening across our region.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Our opening Snapshot will be delivered by Claudia Brown, Smart Buildings Solutions Architect at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. Claudia will be presenting the Trust’s pioneering Smart Ward Project, currently being rolled out across Healthcare of the Elderly and Paediatrics.

This transformative project focuses on developing smarter, more dynamic healthcare environments that enhance patient recovery and improve staff safety. By integrating intelligent building technologies and responsive ward design, the programme is helping clinicians deliver safer, more efficient care while supporting a better experience for patients and families.

Royal United Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Our second snapshot will be run by James Scott, who has been working in area of 'homegrown' app development within the area of hospital pharmacy. Ranging from solutions for ordering medicines to quality management systems and portals for managing staff revalidation. 

Workshop

Facilitator: Bernie Clarke
Topic: Being an Ally

We are pleased to be able to welcome back Bernie Clarke to this year's South West Connect Conference. Bernie will be leading a workshop which will focus on equality, diversity and inclusion within the digital healthcare profession, and will address the topic of Being an Ally. 

Workshop

Facilitator: Renata Smolskyte and Christy Thurlow
Topic: To be confirmed

Renata Smolskyte chairs the Digital & Transformational Leads (DTL) Special Interest Group, a community for DTLs working in Primary Care Networks across the South West. The group meets regularly to explore digital priorities, share challenges, and collaborate on common improvement areas. Renata will also be leading a workshop at this year’s Connect Conference. While the final topic is still being confirmed, the session will be highly relevant for Digital & Transformation Leads across the region.

Workshop

Facilitator: Christine Banks
Topic: Towards Excellence in Digital Standards Accreditation 

In this workshop, Christine Banks, National Digital Skills Development Lead, will talk about the Towards Excellence in Digital Standards Accreditation Scheme and explain what it is, what the benefits are of becoming accredited and how organisations can start the journey towards accreditation. The session is aimed at senior leaders who want to accredit their teams as well as organisational DSD leads who want to find out more.

Workshop

Facilitator: Lynne Avrell & Steve Roche
Topic: To be confirmed

The South West Digital Health & Care Skills Development Network also hosts a thriving Clinical Safety Officer (CSO) Special Interest Group, co‑chaired by Lynne Avrell and Stephen Roche. The group meets every six weeks to discuss local issues, emerging risks, and hot topics in clinical safety. At the 2026 Connect Conference, the CSO group will host two special sessions with a focus on AI and clinical safety, reflecting the rapid growth of AI‑enabled tools and their implications for operational and clinical practice.

Workshop

Facilitator: Rebecca Campbell
Topic: The Digital Profession

This workshop explores the key priorities for the Digital Profession across the NHS, alongside recent developments in national competency frameworks, job descriptions and professional body membership. It will highlight how these tools are supporting professionalisation, improving consistency, and strengthening digital workforce capability.

Workshop

Facilitator: Mark Basham and Katrina Macdermid
Topic: Humanising IT

Healthcare is built around people — patients, clinicians, and staff. But the IT experiences that underpin this vital work can sometimes miss that human emphasis. In this session, we’ll explore how Humanising IT™ helps healthcare organisations strengthen their IT services to better support those who deliver care.

Drawing on lessons from the UK NHS and international healthcare partners, Mark will introduce the Humanising IT™ Double‑Diamond Framework (HIT DDF™).

This framework helps prevent common IT experience failure points by ensuring that human needs remain at the center of every stage of service design and delivery.

Through interactive discussion and group exercises, we’ll bring Humanising IT™ to life — connecting theory to practice and showing how healthcare teams can embed human‑centered approaches into their daily IT operations.

By the end of this one‑hour workshop, participants will:

• Gain an interactive overview of Humanising IT™, grounded in real healthcare case studies from the NHS and beyond.
• Understand the HIT DDF™ framework and how it prevents common IT experience failure points.
• Participate in group exercises that translate Humanising IT™ principles into practical healthcare scenarios.
• Engage in an open Q&A to explore how these ideas can be applied in their own organizations.

Closing speaker

Facilitator: Simon Wheatcroft

Tech pioneer, endurance runner and award-winning educator, Simon Wheatcroft, refuses to let blindness hold him back. Whether he is competing in ultra-marathons, climbing mountains or teaching students in the classroom., he combines the use of technology and his fundamental belief and trust in his own abilities and body to overcome what many would consider insurmountable barriers and achieve his goals. Simon's unique blend of ferocious drive, along with his background in technology and psychology, enables him to push the boundaries of possibility and challenge the audience to explore what they can achieve.

Cancellation policy 

The South West Digital Health and Social Care Skills Development Network are providing this event free of charge, by completing this registration, you hereby agree to the following:

Failure to attend will result in you being charged a fee of £48.50. A late cancellation fee of £48.50 will apply to ticket holders who cancel within 5 days of the event start date.