NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Accelerated Surgical Care

Why Representation Matters
2026-08-27 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | Online, United Kingdom
Tackling Health Inequalities in Black Communities

Health is shaped by more than healthcare alone. From our everyday environments and experiences to access to support and services, a range of factors can influence health outcomes. Understanding these wider influences and why representation matters is an important part of the conversation around health inequalities.
Join BYP Network and Our Future Health for an insightful and engaging session exploring health inequalities affecting Black communities and the importance of representation in shaping a more inclusive approach to health.
Through discussion, insights and interactive engagement, this session will explore why health inequalities exist, the factors that can influence health outcomes, and why representation matters when seeking to better understand and address these challenges.

Clinical Trial training for Investigators
2026-09-07 - 2026-09-11 | University of Liverpool, The Library Room - Liverpool Guild of Students, Liverpool, L3 5TR, United Kingdom
Course fee: £595, includes course materials, lunch and refreshments
RCP CPD accredited: 30 points awarded for full week attendance
Individual day or morning/afternoon session attendance available: Charged at £119 per day/£59.50 per session
Target audience
This course is aimed at health and research professionals, particularly those aiming to become Chief Investigators.
Faculty includes experts in:
Clinical trials: Dr Susanna Dodd, Dr Nicola Harman, Professor Paula Williamson, Professor Michael Jenkinson
Statistics: Dr Richard Jackson, Dr Girvan Burnside, Professor Jamie Kirkham
Qualitative and recruitment research: Professor Kerry Woolfall, Dr Nicola Harman, Dr Heather Barrington
Health economics: Professor Dyfrig Hughes
Overview
The number of clinical trials being conducted has increased, and the need for greater efficiency in design, conduct, analysis and reporting has been recognised in both the public and industry sector.
The programme will include:

Trial design
Trial conduct
Recruitment of trial participants
Public and patient involvement
Analysis and reporting
Health informatics
Health economics

How to apply
For more information and to apply for this course, visit https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/population-health/about/health-data-science/courses-and-workshops/.

Who owns healthtech innovation?
2026-09-15 10:00 - 16:30 | The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 38-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE, United Kingdom
For surgeons and clinicians with research and ideas, and nowhere to take them.
You’ve seen the problem at the bedside. You’ve done the research. You may even have published it. And then – nothing moves.
Getting an innovation to a patient is the hard part, and we are rarely taught how to do it. This event will show you how.
Join RCS England’s Innovation Hub and the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering (LIHE) for a day that follows healthtech innovation through its whole life – from first spark to NHS adoption – and puts one question on trial at every stage: whose job is it to carry it forward?

Introduction to process evaluation
2026-09-15 13:00 - 14:00 | Online, United Kingdom
The fourth instalment in our ongoing Real-World Evaluation webinar series, this event will give you a broad introduction to everything to do with Process Evaluations!
You do not have to have attended any previous Real-World Evaluation webinars to benefit from this, however if you did miss out, you can catch up on our YouTube! The first episode can be found here, and the second episode can be found here.

Is Leeds the digital driving force behind the UK’s health mission? YOU BET!
2026-09-23 11:30 - 15:30 | Nexus Leeds, Nexus at Leeds University, Discovery Way University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 3AA, United Kingdom
AI. Data. Digital health. Innovation at scale. Discover how Leeds is already setting the pace, and place your bets on what’s next!

The UK’s health system is betting big on digital. And Leeds is where the future is already being built.
At the heart of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan are the Five Big Bets: data, AI, genomics, wearables and robotics. These technologies are expected to transform everything from how health services are delivered and diseases prevented, to how patients manage their own care – creating significant opportunities for innovators, investors and businesses.
Home to world-leading health data, pioneering NHS partnerships, thriving tech businesses and a track record of turning innovation into real-world impact, Leeds has become one of the UK’s most influential digital health hubs. It’s no surprise this is where Leeds Digital Festival – the largest tech event of its kind in the UK – takes place.
Join Health Innovation Leeds this September for a fast-moving, interactive session exploring why the government has chosen Leeds to drive forward the country’s health mission, and what that means for innovators.
You’ll hear from a rotating panel of leaders from across health, technology and industry, and take part in the conversation as we explore the Five Big Bets – in particular, what they mean for the future of digital health, and where the biggest opportunities lie for businesses looking to grow in Leeds.

Accelerating Sustainable Healthcare
2026-09-24 09:30 - 16:30 | St George’s Conference Centre, 60 Great George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3DL, United Kingdom
Join us for a hybrid HealthTech sustainability forum on Thursday 24 September 2026 at St George’s Centre, Leeds.

Sustainability is now a commercial imperative for HealthTech companies.
The NHS has committed to achieving net zero for its direct emissions by 2040 and indirect emissions by 2045. These targets extend across the healthcare supply chain and are increasingly shaping procurement decisions. Under the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, suppliers must demonstrate measurable environmental impact and embed sustainable practices across product development, manufacture and delivery.
This event brings together the organisations shaping the NHS sustainability agenda, including consultant surgeons and sustainability leaders from the Royal College of Surgeons, major NHS Foundation Trusts, the Circular Economy Healthcare Alliance, ABHI, Philips Health Systems and Pd-m.
Designed for HealthTech innovators, the forum will provide practical insight into NHS sustainability requirements, procurement priorities and emerging opportunities. Delegates will gain a clearer understanding of the NHS supply chain, the Department of Health and Social Care’s Design for Life programme, and approaches to building sustainability into products, services and operations.
Through expert-led discussions, case studies and showcase sessions, delegates will explore real-world examples of sustainable innovation, behavioural change and environmental improvement. The event will also provide opportunities to share challenges, exchange learning and build new collaborations.
The HRC Network and Pd-m will showcase projects from the Net Zero Catalyst programme, highlighting how innovators are addressing sustainability challenges while strengthening commercial viability.
This event is delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre Network and the HealthTech Research Centre in Accelerated Surgical Care, with support from the HealthTech Research Centre in Sustainable Innovation, and in partnership with the SUSTAIN Lab at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
To learn more about how the HRC Network supports sustainable healthcare innovation from concept to adoption, explore the HRC Network Net Zero Catalyst programme.

Understanding Innovation in NHS Supply Chain
2026-09-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-10-29 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-11-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Online, United Kingdom
These sessions are a great opportunity to:

Ask questions directly to the team.
Gain an overview of public procurement.
Learn where to find upcoming opportunities.
Discover where to access information on current tender requirements.
Explore other support available to suppliers.

Whether you’re new to public sector procurement or looking to expand your understanding, these events are designed to help guide, support, and connect you.

SurgTech 2026
2026-10-08 08:00 - 2026-10-09 17:00 | AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds, Headingly Rugby Stadium, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
We plan to host a SurgTech conference every year which will be a two-day event bringing together industry, academics, clinical, funding bodies as well as members of the public working in the field of HealthTech. In previous years we have attracted over 300 delegates and it is our aim to improve on this.
This years’ meeting will focus on the 5 challenges outlined in NHS Plan
More details will follow soon.

LTHT: Care Beyond the Bedside: The Leeds Virtual Wards Model
2026-10-16 09:00 - 16:00 | Hilton Leeds City, Hilton Leeds City, Neville Street., Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4BX, United Kingdom
Join Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber to find out how virtual wards are transforming patient care, with a model that is easily scalable and applicable to any hospital.
The Leeds virtual ward uses very little tech and involves non specialist nurses to deliver care remotely – achieving huge bed savings and cost efficiencies.
Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive for the hospital-level of care they are receiving at home, with 93 per cent saying they would recommend virtual wards.
Data will be presented from two randomised trials and two health economic evaluations, to share the proven benefits of a model that is used in multiple specialties including cardiology, surgery recovery and oncology.
This event will bring together clinicians, operational leaders, digital teams, patients, NHS partners and system leaders to share practical learning, celebrate success, and explore future opportunities for service transformation.

MSK & obesity – The way forward for providers, clinicians, campaigners and policy makers
2026-10-19 11:00 - 12:30 | Online, United Kingdom
The purpose of this online meeting is to align everyone interested in the inter-relationship between poor musculoskeletal health and obesity with an agreed set of actions. The audience of providers, clinicians, campaigners and policy makers will debate a range of issues including:

Lack of access to holistic care – How can the system deliver better integrated services to support the interaction between MSK pain, obesity, deconditioning, mental health and wider inequalities?
Access to surgery for high BMI patients – How can we move towards evidence-based, person-centred surgical decision making, rather than an oversimplistic focus on arbitrary BMI thresholds?
Prehabilitation & rehabilitation – What support and interventions are needed?
Use of weight‑management medications – What additional evidence do we need to inform surgical guidelines?

The webinar is hosted by Orthopaedic Research UK, in association with the Obesity Health Alliance, Arthritis UK, Arthritis & Musculoskeletal Alliance, and the National Orthopaedic Alliance. It will feature short presentations from clinicians and other experts on this topic plus plenty of opportunity for debate.

Conference: Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (23–26 March 2026)
2026-10-23 08:00 - 2026-10-26 17:00 | Edinburgh International Conference Centre, United Kingdom
The Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum (MLSFF) is an exceptional opportunity for underrepresented students and scientists to showcase their talents, share their research, and engage with a vibrant community of peers and professionals. We warmly invite you to participate in our conference in various ways, ensuring that everyone has the chance to contribute and benefit from this empowering experience.
Inclusive and Encouraging Environment
We recognise that minoritised students often face additional challenges and may feel marginalised or hesitant to step forward. The Future Forum is dedicated to creating an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment where your contributions are valued. However you choose to participate, your involvement is equally important and appreciated. You are the next generation of life scientists, and this is your opportunity to connect, empower, and inspire.
We believe that everyone has something valuable to offer, and by participating, you’ll not only gain new knowledge and experiences but also help us build a diverse and inclusive future for life sciences.
Your registration gives you full access to three days of MLSFF at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (23–26 March 2026). This includes:
Entry to all keynotes, career development sessions, workshops and poster presentations
Networking and mentoring opportunities built into the programme
Exhibition and community spaces to connect with societies, funders, universities and businesses.
Daily lunch plus hot and cold drinks throughout the conference
A place at the conference dinner, included for every delegate
Access to prayer rooms, quiet spaces and accessibility support
We want MLSFF26 to be accessible to everyone. The true cost of a delegate place is more than £900, but thanks to funding and sponsorship we are able to offer heavily subsidised tickets.

Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Diagnostics, Digital, Data and Devices (MEED)
2026-11-26 09:30 - 17:00 | Queens Hotel, New Station Street City Square, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 1PJ, United Kingdom
TBC
