It’s a time of significant change in our NHS. In their day 1 keynote session, at the HCSA Conference, Stuart Nelson, Chief Commercial Officer at DHSC and Fiona Bride, Interim Chief Commercial Officer at NHS England, will outline their vision to deliver the ambitions in the 10 Year Health Plan. They will describe why and how a disciplined and collaborative commercial approach will be pivotal to align strategy, impact and value. Stronger together, we collectively have an opportunity, and responsibility, to use a one commercial approach as a strategic lever to drive economic growth, reduce cost variation and make the NHS a ‘better customer’ to its suppliers – with the goal to ensure better value for our taxpayers’ money and improved patient outcomes.

The NHS Long Term Plan calls for a more integrated, efficient, and sustainable health system — and procurement is central to achieving it. Artificial intelligence and advanced technologies are no longer distant concepts; they are practical tools reshaping how the NHS can plan, buy, and deliver with impact. But the challenge is clear: how do leaders cut through the hype, adopt AI responsibly, and ensure technology serves both people and patients?

In this session, David de Wet will explore:
• How the NHS 10-year plan reframes the role of procurement in enabling transformation.
• The opportunities and limitations of AI and automation in practice.
• Building digital capability and confidence across procurement teams.
• Why human oversight and ethical responsibility must stay at the heart of new technologies.
• Real examples of how tools like Dotted Line are supporting data-driven, insight-led decision making.
• Practical steps leaders can take now to ensure procurement is a strategic enabler of the NHS’s future.

This session will equip NHS procurement leaders to approach AI with clarity, confidence, and purpose — ensuring it becomes a driver of transformation, not a distraction.

The 10 year health plan has laid out the vision to shift care to the community and in this session, we will explore how the NHS can make this transition. From moving services from a hospital setting into the community to remove barriers to care and release capacity, to utilising the latest technology, discharge solutions and equipment to deliver effective care in the community or a patient’s home, hear practical tips on how you can make progress against this key shift and deliver benefits beyond savings.

As procurement teams start to use the Procurement Act 2023, Andrew will consider some of the common issues that are arising and how these can be managed, including notices and direct awards.

- Demonstrating how Procurement can better deliver against the Social Value requirements
- How Procurement can have a positive impact on Health Inequalities across your ICS

Discover how AdviseInc collaborates with a diverse range of users, from procurement to clinicians, transforming data into savings and driving greater value for healthcare.

The NHS Ten-Year Plan places digital transformation at the heart of its agenda, recognising the critical role technology will play in modernising service delivery. Amazon Business started as a tail spend solution, but has evolved to support broader NHS digital ambitions. This session explores how our procurement solutions and wider technological capabilities can help deliver the Plan's vision. Join us to learn how we're supporting the NHS's journey from analogue to digital ways of working.

- Reinvestment at the Core; how KFM generates income and reinvests benefits and cost savings, directly supporting NHS priorities.
- Creating a Centre of Excellence; developing best practice, innovation, and scalable solutions that deliver value across the NHS.
- Our Strategic Partnership with KCH; how KFM aligns with King’s College Hospital’s vision and wider NHS sustainability goals.
- Supporting clinical care; how KFM operational services support the frontline to deliver high quality patient care.

Framework agreements aren’t just a vehicle to access pre-vetted suppliers compliantly. With the right expertise behind them, they are intentionally designed to support the NHS to deliver progress against key challenges and targets; they’re a launchpad for transformation at scale. Hear actionable advice on how to get strategic value out of framework agreements and see examples of success in this area.

To develop an understanding of the complexity, time taken, risks and costs to a device manufacturer to implant a class III medical device into a patient. Steps include Research, Development, Clinical, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Commissioning and Reimbursement, Procurement, Stakeholders, Post Market Surveillance, Maintenance and Improvement.

Join Constellia and an NHS Acute Hospital Alliance Procurement Services Trust as they share how the neutral vendor model is supporting NHS organisations through a real-life case study, showing how it helps address procurement capacity challenges, deliver savings, and drive greater efficiency. This session offers a practical look at how the model can complement in-house teams, fill skills gaps, and help Trusts meet growing demands without compromising on supplier quality or compliance.

Humber & North Yorkshire Procurement Collaborative has been established for 2.5 years. Edward will reflect on the journey to date and the highs and lows of collaborative procurement across three Acute trusts.

We will talk about the development of Value Based Procurement, where Industry gets it right & where it is going wrong. How can you measure the Value you expect to gain from a contract; how can you work to increase it & how to select a supply partner that will actively help both of these factors.