18th NHS Patient Flow Summit: Redefining Care Pathways

Patient Flow & Care Coordination

08:30 am
18 Nov, 2025
etc venues Manchester, 8th Floor, 11 Portland Street M1 3HU

18th NHS Patient Flow Summit: Redefining Care Pathways

Patient Flow & Care Coordination

08:30 am
18 Nov, 2025
etc venues Manchester, 8th Floor, 11 Portland Street M1 3HU

Current landscape:

The NHS Patient Flow Conference serves as a vital convening space for healthcare professionals, policymakers, system leaders, and innovators committed to improving the movement of patients across urgent and emergency care (UEC) and hospital services. This year’s conference is closely aligned with the priorities of “Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England”, focusing on transforming patient flow through enhanced system coordination, digital innovation, and integrated care delivery.

Attendees will take part in strategic discussions, hands-on workshops, and real-world case studies that spotlight both national and local initiatives. These sessions will explore approaches that reduce avoidable A&E attendances, streamline triage, and support effective rehabilitation and discharge planning—ensuring patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Key Themes and Content Streams:

  • Redesigning UEC & Streamlining Flow
    Advancing Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) and Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs), separating urgent and emergency pathways, and using digital command centres to improve patient throughput.
  • Reducing Unnecessary A&E Attendances
    Redirecting non-urgent cases through better access to primary care, public-facing navigation tools, and AI-assisted decision support.
  • Digital & AI-Powered Flow Management
    Leveraging smart triage systems, virtual wards, and predictive analytics to proactively manage demand and ease pressure on acute services.
  • Integrated Intermediate & Community Care
    Enhancing links between hospitals, social care, and community rehab services to support timely and safe transitions back to home or step-down care.
  • The Future Hospital & Technology
    Reimagining hospitals as centres for specialist care, expanding the use of robotics, personalised medicine, and digital health innovations to ensure equitable access and outcomes.

Why This Conference Matters Now:

The 2025 NHS Patient Flow Conference is more than just a meeting of minds—it is a strategic catalyst for system-wide change. Against a backdrop of rising demand and resource constraints, this event provides a critical opportunity to drive the transformation needed for a more responsive, integrated, and patient-centred NHS.

Participants will gain valuable, actionable insights into scalable models of integrated care, digital coordination, and flow optimisation that are already making a difference across the country. By fostering collaboration across sectors, the conference will help shape a more agile, equitable healthcare system capable of meeting the evolving needs of patients today—and tomorrow.

Who will Attend

  • Chief Executives
  • Chief Information Officers
  • Chief Medical Officers
  • Chief Operating Officers
  • Clinical Directors/Heads/Managers/Leads
  • Commissioning Directors/Heads/Managers
  • Consultants in Emergency Medicine
  • Deputy Directors
  • Directors of Delivery
  • Directors of Performance and Improvement
  • Emergency Care Directors/Heads/Managers
  • General Managers
  • IT Directors/Heads/Managers
  • Medical Directors
  • Operating Heads/Managers
  • Operations Directors/Heads/Managers
  • Programme Directors/Heads/Managers
  • Service Directors/Heads/Managers
  • Strategic Planning Directors/Heads/Managers
  • Transformation Directors/Heads/Managers
  • Urgent Care Directors/Heads/Managers

Sponsors & Partners

The programme

08:30

Registration & Networking

Registration & Networking

09:30

Chair Opening Address

Chair Opening Address

09:40

Keynote Presentation

Keynote Presentation

10:00

Panel Discussion

Panel Discussion

10:30

Main Sponsor

Main Sponsor

10:50

Morning Break & Networking

Morning Break & Networking

11:50

Chair Morning Reflection

Chair Morning Reflection

11:55

Case Study - Aire Innovate

Case Study - Aire Innovate

12:15

Case Study - Your Medical Services

Case Study - Your Medical Services

12:35

Fireside Interview

Fireside Interview

12:55

Case Study - DNV Imatis

Case Study - DNV Imatis

13:15

Lunch & Networking

Lunch & Networking

14:00

Chair Afternoon Address

Chair Afternoon Address

14:05

Case Study

Case Study

14:25

Keynote Presentation - Transforming Discharge Destinations for Patients with Cognitive Impairment (Confirmed)

Dawn March
Trainee Health Psychologist
Central and North West London (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust
Bhavani Harshini Atmakur
Team Lead Physiotherapist Home1st WICU/Seacole Inpatient Pathway
Central North West London (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust

Background

The primary challenge was the high rate of discharges to care homes of patients with dementia and cognitive impairment, contributing to prolonged hospital stays, increased deconditioning, and reduced patient motivation.  Complex discharge processes involving multiple agencies added strain on health and social care resources. A collaboration between physiotherapy and psychology, aimed to improve outcomes for these patients within a community hospital setting.

From September 2022 to September 2023, data from patient admissions (n=546) showed 22.5% of patients had cognitive impairment, with nearly 99% discharged to care homes. Our goal was to reduce this rate by 25% through a "Home First" approach, supporting patients to return home with necessary support, ensuring timely and safe discharges and enhancing rehabilitation in familiar environments.

Method

To achieve this, we adopted a Quality Improvement (QI) framework, involving patients, caregivers, and staff to co-develop interventions based on health psychology principles. The COM-B model guided the design to improve patient engagement with rehabilitation. Key interventions included staff education on cognitive impairment, engaging activity packs for patients, and group-based physical therapy combined with elements of cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) to enhance rehabilitation journeys.

The intervention was phased, starting with pilot programs and using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to refine interventions. Staff training improved understanding of cognitive impairment and its effects on rehabilitation. Activity packs provided guidance on home safety, nutrition, and local resources. Group exercises combined physical and cognitive stimulation to enhance abilities and encourage social interaction.

Results

By the end of 2024 with all intervention elements in place, the team demonstrated that 87% of eligible patients (n=97) with cognitive impairment were discharged to their own homes following a stay in a community hospital.  Data over time showed the project’s impact, with home discharges increasing after the full approach was introduced in April 2024 and stabilising in the following months, indicating a new system was established. The mean length of stay for eligible patients was 40 days. Patients with longer lengths of stay required more medical input to stabilise their physical health due to conditions like pressure ulcers which limited therapy input and necessitated complex discharge plans.

Reflection

Feedback from patients and caregivers showed increased satisfaction, with patients experiencing better mobility, enhanced social interactions, and greater engagement in rehabilitation. During regular team meetings staff expressed pride in offering holistic, patient-centred care that emphasised autonomy and well-being. This collaborative approach not only decreased dependence on care homes but also improved overall care quality and patient outcomes.

Conclusion

To conclude, the "Home First" approach showcases the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing integrated care models. By involving staff, patients, and caregivers in co-creating solutions, we achieved significant improvements in discharge outcomes, minimised system inefficiencies, and optimised resource utilisation. This project highlights the potential of collaborative methods to transform care pathways, enhancing both patient outcomes and healthcare system efficiency. Our next steps include exploring service costs and expanding the approach.

14:45

Case Study

Case Study

15:05

The Future Hospital & Technology: Reimagining Care, Enhancing Access Panel Discussion

Olivia Burns
Founder of Hypoplas and Independent healthcare consultant
Hypoplas Limited

The Future Hospital & Technology: Reimagining Care, Enhancing Access Panel Discussion

15:35

Hot Buffet Food & Drinks

Hot Buffet Food & Drinks

17:00

End of Day

End of Day

Convenzisvents

Your Pass Includes....

  • Access to a leading conference speaker programme
  • Interactive Q&A sessions
  • Fireside interviews
  • Cross-sector best practice
  • Meet the supplier opportunities
  • Hot breakfast & Lunch included
  • Access to post event drinks reception and Street food

Tickets For NHS Senior Managers

We have an invite only option for NHS Senior Managers for our conference, to see if you qualify for a complimentary place please click the button below.

Register your place

Book tickets

Ticket
Price
Quantity
Charity, Not for Profit and University (In-Person)
£203.99 excl VAT
Limited places
0
Private Sector (In-Person)
£500.00 excl VAT
Limited places
0
Free NHS Ticket
£0.00 No VAT
Limited places
0

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