Digital health and AI conference 2026: building an AI-enabled health and care system that works for people

AI is already being deployed at scale in some health systems, moving beyond pilots into routine use. But where is this already happening in practice, and what can we learn from it?

This session looks at international experience, including the use of AI‑supported triage within national services in Portugal. It will explore what it takes to move from early testing into routine use, including how tools are validated, regulated and made to work within existing services.

It will also consider how this is starting to change interactions between people and services, as digital tools increasingly shape how patients seek advice and support before accessing care.

Through case studies and discussion, we will explore what has enabled progress in these systems, what has proved more difficult, and what this means for how the NHS approaches adoption and scale.

Speakers to be confirmed

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan vision for a digitally enabled and transformed NHS is one where all areas of the health system in each part of the country is digitally mature, able to share health and non-health data, and using technology to improve patient outcomes.

The plan also includes an aspiration for AI to be seamlessly integrated into most clinical pathways and for generative AI to be widely adopted. While the possibilities are exciting and present an opportunity to improve patient outcomes and staff experience, there is also an urgent need to get the basics right first. Much of the health service is affected by basic IT woes and outdated equipment.  

This opening session will set an honest and challenging tone as we take stock of how digital technology and AI are currently being used across health and social care and consider what this means for the health and care service, and the people who rely on it. 

Together we will consider:

• the hype behind AI and digital technology, the global context, and the pace of real change 

• where are AI and digital tools genuinely landing and making a difference, and how basic infrastructure challenges hold back the potential for AI and digital technology to improve health and care services 

• what is emerging over the next three to five years (and beyond) 

• what this means for people, communities and the workforce. 

The impact of AI is not going to be simply down to how health and care systems like the NHS choose to implement them. 

The NHS 10 year health plan also has big plans for the NHS App as it seeks to become the digital front door to the NHS. 

So what does the rise of consumer AI – with AI technologies that being developed for the public such as ChatGPT and Claude – alongside the rise of the NHS App mean for the future of health and care?  

In this session we will:

• discuss the impact and potential of the NHS App hearing from those using it and leading its rollout on what’s next for the app 

• consider how people are already using digital technology, including AI, in their everyday lives - and what more needs to be done to engage with the public to improve skills and understanding 

• explore how best to support staff to understand how these apps are affecting patient experiences and interactions.  

In this interactive and collaborative session, this session will explore the leadership, culture and capability needed to lead digital transformation.  

We will explore how we ensure leadership remains grounded in people, care and relationships in the face of pressure and limited resources. 

In this session you will discuss: 

• how leaders create space for experimentation amid operational pressures 

• how to hold honest conversations about tradeoffs, risk and ethics 

• how leaders enabling teams to test, learn and adapt in real time 

• how leaders can support staff through uncertainty without defaulting to hype or fear. 

The challenges facing the health and care system are well known, presenting opportunities and challenges for innovators wanting to create the best tools and improve care for people, staff and the system. But the reality is that innovation in health and social care is often siloed, unsupported and hindered.

So what would it take to unlock innovation and transformation across health and care, what would good look like? 

In this session UK health tech innovators, investors and entrepreneurs will reflect on: 

• what innovators and investors need from the NHS and system partners, and what they are looking for from technology which is truly groundbreaking 

• what NHS leaders need from innovators and investors – and what it looks like when this relationship works 

• why so many pilots stall, and what it takes to get to everyday use at scale. 

Join us for Hack the future, a fast‑paced, collaborative session running throughout the afternoon.

This mini hackathon brings delegates together to explore real‑world challenges and imagine how digital and AI‑enabled tools could support better access, communication and inclusion in health and care.

Working in mixed groups, participants will respond to live challenges and generate ideas, new perspectives and practical possibilities. This session is about creative thinking and shared learning, not perfect or finished solutions.

Hosted by Heart n Soul, teams will bring together people working in health and care, people with lived experience of disability, and light‑touch technical support. No technical background is needed. Participants will interact with AI through simple, chat‑based tools rather than coding

Alongside the group work, Heart n Soul will share a short case study on co‑designing an accessible AI tool, and demonstrate approaches that keep data on the user’s device, supporting privacy and control.

This session offers a hands‑on way to explore what accessible, responsible AI can look like in practice - shaped by lived experience and real‑world needs.

Session hosted by Heart n Soul (confirmed)

Continues through the afternoon until 4.00pm

There’s no doubt AI is going to impact health and care and those who work in the sector. 

In this session we’ll explore how AI is changing skills and professional identity and what this means for supporting and developing the workforce (both now and in the future) 

This session will cover:  

• what AI, automation and digital tools mean for roles, skills and leadership – including younger clinicians entering the workforce  

• how to support staff through uncertainty, keep the human connection in care, and make this a conversation about possibility, not just threat 

• what it means to develop trusted AI solutions and engage with the workforce in a meaningful way with insights from TrustX (a joint initiative to develop, validate and implement agentic AI in the NHS & social care).

Continued session

Join us for Hack the Future, a fastpaced, collaborative session running throughout the afternoon. This standalone mini hackathon brings delegates together to explore real world challenges and imagine what digital and AI-enabled solutions could look like today, soon and in the longer term.

Rather than aiming for fully formed solutions, this session is about creative thinking, connection and shared exploration. We’ll work in mixed groups, take live challenges submitted by delegates and generate fresh ideas, new angles and practical possibilities.

AI scribes (also known as ambient voice technologies) are an emerging category of AI that is starting to be used across NHS and social care settings. As well as providing useful documentation, AI scribes have the potential to support staff by reducing workload and alleviating cognitive burden.  

This session will explore how ambient voice technologies are already streamlining operations and enhancing service delivery across health and care. 

You’ll hear case studies from both clinical and care environments, and we’ll look at what these tools are changing for clinicians, patients and carers. 

In this session, you will consider: 

• real-world examples of ambient technologies (for example, ambient documentation or listening tools) being used in NHS or social care settings 

• what these technologies are changing for clinicians, patients and carers 

• early learning on safety, workflow, data quality and trust. 

This closing session will bring together the themes of the day, examine whether we are bold enough in our approach to innovation and regulation, and asks what it would take for the UK to lead on safe, equitable and people centred use of AI in health and social care. 

In this session you will discuss: 

• what ‘good enough’ looks like for AI in health and care 

• how regulators, NHS leaders, clinicians and patients can work together on safety and trust 

• the realities of deploying tools in live clinical and care settings 

• what needs to shift in policy, investment, culture and leadership 

• how the UK can lead if it chooses to.