Blog Innovation must be bold and strategic – Five takeaways from NHS ConfedExpo 2025 17 June 2025 Share Share on Linkedin Share on X Share via email Blog NHS ConfedExpo 2025 gathered health and care leaders, innovators, and system partners, all focused on shaping the future of health and care, in Manchester last week. Here are five takeaways from our team on the ground: 1. Community and co-design are central to NHS reform A clear message from Wes Streeting’s keynote – and echoed throughout the conference – was that public insight and feedback must be at the heart of NHS reform. Reinforcing this message were the hundreds of visitors who actively sought out the Digital Inclusion Framework stand that we ran with the University of Sussex. The framework provides a tool to ensure that everyone can benefit from digital health and care, reducing digital exclusion and the associated health inequalities. The shift toward neighbourhood and integrated models of care was a major theme over the two days. This approach offers a powerful opportunity to localise innovation, tailor services to community needs, and build trust at the frontline. We can’t do this without input from the public and health professionals alike. 2. Innovation must be scaled boldly and strategically The call for radical redesign was loud and clear. Small-scale pilots and incremental fixes are no longer enough. Innovators must be bold, strategic, and focused on system-wide transformation and pathway change. Streeting’s keynote supported this, issuing a de facto invitation for innovation. 3. Innovation drives economic growth Innovation in health and care is about better outcomes for patients as well as economic impact. For example, according to the recently published The Size of the Innovation Prize report, tackling musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory and mental health challenges through innovation can help people return to work and contribute to the economy, potentially unlocking £113 billion in value. Supporting NHS staff with cutting-edge tools and technology can significantly boost productivity and by building infrastructure and partnerships that attract foreign direct investment, health innovation could help deliver an additional £32 billion to the UK economy. 4. Cross-sector collaboration is key Pharma and industry partners are actively seeking meaningful, long-term collaborations. They want to co-create solutions and achieve tangible outcomes for patients. Trusted connectors, such as Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS), can link industry with system partners, research facilities, data, and community insights. 5. We must help the NHS translate innovation into impact As NHS and local authority leaders face mounting pressures, organisations like Health Innovation KSS can create the conditions for innovation to thrive at the frontline. Our role is threefold: Find: Bring together the right people, data, and systems across sectors. Test: Enable real-world testing and evaluation Implement: Scale successful innovations into impactful, system-wide change. Change happens from the ground up NHS Confed Expo 2025 reminded us that change happens from the ground up and that trust, collaboration, and courage are essential. We are inspired to use our collective strengths to lead boldly, support our system partners, and deliver innovation that improves lives and drives economic growth.