Andrew Daly is a partner in Hempsons’ specialist procurement team. He has 12 years’ experience of working with the NHS and specialises in procurement law, acting for both contracting authorities and bidders.
Andrew utilises the knowledge gained from acting for clients on both sides of the fence to provide pragmatic advice on running defensible procurement processes/defending procurement law challenges, and also to advise bidders on improving their chances of success/challenging defective processes.

Chris Hopson joined NHS Providers in September 2012 as Chief Executive following a career spanning the public, private and voluntary sectors. NHS Providers is the membership organisation for the 217 NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance trusts that account for £80bn of annual public expenditure and employ over 800,000 staff. NHS Providers has 100% of the sector in voluntary membership.

Preeya Bailie joined NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) in July 2018 as Chief Procurement Officer. A year later she became Director of Procurement Transformation and Commercial Delivery, bringing together procurement oversight of both primary and secondary care.

Over the past 2 years Preeya has led the Procurement Target Operating Model (PTOM) programme, which is focused on the transforming the way the NHS purchases goods and services to drive value from every pound spent to deliver better patient outcomes.

Preeya has a breadth of public sector procurement experience, spanning local authorities and procurement partnerships, including the establishment of frameworks, outsourcing of services, setting up of joint ventures and programmes for income generation.

Preeya led the procurement team for the London Nightingale hospital, which saw the transformation of the London Excel conference venue into a state-of-the-art hospital in just 9 days, fully equipped to receive patients suffering with coronavirus.

As the NHS is one of the UK’s largest buyer of goods and services, procurement can be a powerful tool in driving positive environmental and social value. Preeya works with the NHS supply chain to help deliver the NHS commitment to have a net zero, fair and transparent supply chain free of modern slavery by 2045.

Mark joined the National Health Service in 1978 and worked for the Mid Glamorgan Health Authority Supplies Department, later moving to WHTSO (which became the Welsh Health Common Services Authority).

In 1980, he joined the North West Regional Health Authority as a purchaser at Trafford Park Hospital. Following a move back to Wales as Head of Purchasing in East Dyfed Health Authority, he returned to WHCSA as Director of Materials Management with the creation of the Procurement Group in Wales. In 1996, he served as Director of Welsh Health Supplies following the market testing of the Contracting and Supply Chain services.

In 2011, Mark was appointed as the Director of the Procurement Division of the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership. The Division has over 500 staff across locations the length and breadth of Wales covering Sourcing, Supply Chain, Accounts Payable, Purchasing and Capital. Mark also has the responsibility for the Health Courier Service, following its transfer into NWSSP from Welsh Ambulance Service. Mark retired from this post in 2019 to take up the role of Programme Director focusing initially on Brexit and latterly the COVID Pandemic.

In 2012, Mark was honoured for a lifetime of outstanding achievement at the National Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards. He was recognised for his part in driving forward public procurement and making a real difference within the profession over an extended period of time and in 2017 he was awarded with a MBE.

Mark is Chair of Trustees for the HCSA and also a Trustee of the Wales Quality Centre.

Philip Hunt has been a member of the House of Lords since 1997. He also speaks for the Opposition on Health, Cabinet Office and Lords reform.

He is President of the Royal Society of Public Health, GS1 and the Health Care Supply Association. He is Treasurer of the Associate Parliamentary Health Group; Secretary of the All-Party Group on the Constitution. He serves on the Editorial Board of the Parliamentary House Magazine.

He served for 10 years in the 1997-2010 Labour Government. He resigned in 2003 over the Iraq War and returned at the 2005 general election.

He was Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change from 2008-2010. He also served as a Minister in the Department of Health, Department of Work and Pensions, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Justice.

He was responsible for piloting changes to the law in the Lords to allow for embryonic stem cell research. He recently won a vote to ban the smoking of cigarettes in cars when children are present.

He was the first Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, and previously Director of the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts (NAHAT) from its formation in 1990. He ran its predecessor organisation, the National Association of Health Authorities (NAHA) from 1984 until 1990. He also served as a member of the Council of the International Hospital Federation from 1986-1991.

He was President of the Family Planning Association 1997-1998 and co-chaired the Association for Public Health from 1994-1998. From 1980-1982 he was a member of Birmingham City Council and a member of Oxford City Council from 1973-1979. From 2011 -2014, he chaired the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust.

Philip Hunt was made a Privy Counsellor in 2009. He holds Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Aston, Birmingham and Birmingham City. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons. He was awarded the OBE in June 1993.

Philip Hunt lives in Birmingham. He is a keen supporter of Birmingham City FC and Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

Peter leads the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), the UK’s leading HealthTech trade association, representing 300 companies in MedTech, diagnostics and digital health. ABHI advocates industry’s needs at senior government level, supports UK market access, informs on commercial matters, provides regulatory advice, promotes ethical compliance and develops international trade opportunities for SMEs.

Representing industry across government, Peter currently sits on the Secretary of State led Life Sciences Council, and the sector specific Health Technology Partnership which supports it. He is also a member of the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group.

At European Level, Peter is a former board member of MedTech Europe and is the immediate past Chair of their National Association Network (NAN). Internationally, he is engaged with the UK Government on several initiatives to promote the country and assist British companies with their export strategies. In 2018 he was appointed to the advisory board of Healthcare UK, the government agency responsible for promoting the UK healthcare sector to overseas markets. Peter also sits on the advisory council of EXCITE International, a global collaborative seeking to accelerate access to health technologies.

Having previously served as the interim Chair of the Greater Manchester Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), Peter currently sits on the Board of the Oxford AHSN, and leads work to enhance collaboration between ABHI members and the AHSN national network, most recently through the newly constituted MedTech Innovation National Network. In 2014, he also chaired the Health Economy work stream of the London Health Commission, established by the Mayor of London and Lord Ara Darzi.

Peter has 35 years’ experience in sales, marketing and general management in the UK and across Europe and as a non-executive director of early stage companies. He is a proud member of the 30% Club, which campaigns for greater representation of women at senior leadership and board level, with a target of a minimum of 30%.

Peter is also a GlobalScot – a worldwide network of business contacts who are experts in their field, and driven to help Scottish companies develop, expand and thrive in a competitive international market.

Melinda Johnson joined the Department of Health and Social Care in June 2017 as Commercial Director following a period of 5 years as Group Commercial Director at the Department for Transport. Whilst at Transport Melinda was also Director of Property, Digital, Security and Information. Melinda joined the Civil Service in 2005 to be a Deputy Director in Commercial at the Department for Education where she held various commercial roles.

Melinda is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and a Chartered Procurement Professional, joining the Institute in 1988 whilst on the procurement graduate programme at British Telecom. Melinda’s early buying career was in IT procurement in organisations such as National Power. Melinda has worked in the wider public sector as well as being Head of Policy at CIPS for 3 years. An advocate of CIPS, Melinda completed 4 years on the CIPS Board, following her role on CIPS Council, and was Chair of CIPS Congress.

Melinda holds a MBA, a BSc Hons in Psychology and has a post graduate qualification in Marketing. She is a non executive director of the British Quality Foundation and the NHS SCCL (Supply Chain Coordination Limited).

Melinda is married and lives near Stamford in Lincolnshire.