UHUK conference highlights vital role of social enterprise providers in delivering neighbourhood health

UHUK conference highlights vital role of social enterprise providers in delivering neighbourhood health

National NHS leaders join urgent and integrated care providers to explore how existing expertise, partnerships and technology can accelerate the shift to care closer to home.

Urgent and integrated care providers are already delivering many of the services at the heart of the NHS's ambitions for neighbourhood health, but their expertise must be recognised and included in shaping the future of care.

That was a central message from Urgent Health UK's (UHUK) Annual Conference 2026, held at Staverton Park Hotel, Daventry, on 13 and 14 October.

Under the theme Intelligence. Integration. Inclusion. Building the Next Era of Urgent and Integrated Neighbourhood Care, the conference brought together national NHS leaders, clinicians, social enterprise providers and technology partners to explore how existing infrastructure, expertise and community relationships can support more joined-up care closer to home.

Speakers included Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England, who discussed the forthcoming urgent and emergency care strategy and its alignment with neighbourhood health; Professor Paul Corrigan, who explored new models of care and opportunities for earlier intervention; and Dr Simon Eccles, who examined the potential of artificial intelligence and digital transformation to improve productivity and patient pathways.

Across the two days, discussions highlighted the importance of involving urgent and integrated care providers from the outset in service planning, working as equal partners alongside acute trusts, integrated care boards, commissioners and other local organisations.

Conor Burke, Chief Executive of UHUK, said: "Much of what the NHS is seeking to achieve through neighbourhood health is already happening across our membership. Our members have the 24/7 infrastructure, clinical expertise and established community relationships to help deliver care closer to home.

"But genuine partnership means involving providers from the beginning, not bringing them into the conversation once decisions have already been made. We need to build on what works, drawing on the knowledge and experience of those already delivering care.

"Our members also have a role in making sure their contribution is understood and recognised. Working together, we have an opportunity to shape services around the needs of patients and communities."

The conference concluded with the UHUK Awards 2026, recognising outstanding achievements in clinical safety, digital innovation, health equity, workforce development, patient engagement and partnership working.

Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were presented across nine categories, celebrating initiatives ranging from safer prescribing and care for people experiencing homelessness to early diabetes detection and prevention.

The award-winning projects will feature at UHUK's Awards Showcase in March 2027, where teams will share their experiences and practical lessons with the wider sector.

UHUK thanked delegates, speakers, sponsors and partners, including OneAdvanced, the conference's headline VIP sponsor.
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⁠Next year's conference is set for 13 & 14 October st Whittlesbury Park, Towcester - Save the Date!
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Urgent Health UK Awards 2026

Clinical Safety Leadership — sponsored by Lockton

• Gold: Local Care Direct — From Audit to Safer Prescribing: Embedding MHRA Fluoroquinolone Safety Guidance in Urgent Care.
• Silver: PELC — Improving the Assessment and Management of Suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Through Clinical Leadership and Pathway Redesign.
• Bronze: LCW UCC — Improving Hand Injury Assessment and Referral Pathways to Reduce Patient Harm at West Middlesex Urgent Treatment Centre.

Digital Impact — sponsored by OneAdvanced

• Gold: Mastercall Healthcare — From Fragmented Spreadsheets to Real-Time Medicines Intelligence: Transforming Urgent Care Stock Management with Power BI.
• Silver: Cumbria Health — NHS 111 Direct Booking to Video Consultation – transforming Access to Urgent Care in Cumbria.
• Bronze: LCW UCC — Digital Innovation in Cyber Resilience: Protecting Patients, Services and Urgent Care Continuity.

Equity in Healthcare — sponsored by Babble

• Gold: Mastercall Healthcare — Care Co-ordination and Discharge Planning for People Experiencing Homelessness.
• Silver: Cumbria Health — Health Matters: Tackling Health Inequalities among Men Experiencing Homelessness.
• Bronze: Mastercall Healthcare on behalf of GMUPCA — Pan Greater Manchester Falls Responding Service.

Excellence in Operational Safety — sponsored by Cleo

• Gold: PELC — Strengthening Medicines Governance in the Out of Hours Home Visiting Service Through a Whole Team Operational Safety Model.
• Silver: NEMS CBS — Operational safety on the road: drivers as medicines safety partners in home-visit medicines transport.
• Bronze: LCW UCC — Improving access to reporting staff and patient safety incidents.

Innovation in Action — sponsored by Asterix

• Gold: FCMS (NW) Ltd — Multi-Pathogen Outbreak Response Service.
• Silver: North Hants Urgent Care — North Hampshire Home Visiting Service.
• Bronze: Local Care Direct — Integrated Urgent Community Response (UCR) Hub and Enhanced Falls Pathway.

Making a Difference — sponsored by Credentially

• Gold: Cumbria Health — WorkWell: A Joined-Up Approach to Health, Work and Wellbeing.
• Silver: DHU Healthcare — Rita Blight and the Sip and Support Group - DHU Healthcare.
• Bronze: East Berkshire Primary Care — Supporting Urgent Requests for End-of-Life Certification (SURE) Pathway.

Outstanding Engagement & Involvement — sponsored by Hempsons

• Gold: Cumbria Health — Service Improvement Through Patient Engagement Forums and Inclusive Feedback.
• Silver: Integrated Care 24 — Putting Patient Engagement at the heart of IC24.
• Bronze: PELC — Developing a Strategic Partnership with Healthwatch to Transform Patient Engagement Across PELC Urgent Treatment Centres.

People First — sponsored by Hallam Medical

• Gold: Integrated Care 24 — We are #BetterTogether at IC24.
• Silver: Local Care Direct — Project MAGIC: Improving the recognition and management of acute clinical deterioration in Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs).
• Bronze: NEMS CBS — Putting People First to Transform the NEMS Urgent Treatment Centre.

Stronger Together — sponsored by PC24

• Gold: Suffolk GP Federation — From Data to Diagnosis: A Multi-Agency Partnership Transforming Early Diabetes Detection and Prevention.
• Silver: Mastercall Healthcare on behalf of GMUPCA — Stronger Together: Transforming Urgent Care through the Greater Manchester Urgent Primary care Alliance.
• Bronze: FCMS (NW) Ltd — Proactive Care in Priority Wards.