by Steve Salee
The recent series of UK National Health Service Confederation events, including the Mental Health Network Conference, the EDI Conference, and the NHS Confed Expo, offered a fascinating and insightful glimpse into the current landscape and future aspirations of the UK’s National Health Service. My attendance at these events highlighted several key themes that resonate deeply not only within the NHS but also across any large organisation navigating change, innovation, and the essential human element.
The Power of “Experts by Experience”
At the Mental Health Network event in April, one concept particularly struck a chord: the emphasis on “experts by experience.” This powerful idea gives voice to individuals who have navigated the mental health system themselves, bringing their lived realities to the forefront of conversations about service delivery. Whether through community organisations, primary care, or acute care settings, these voices are essential to shaping more effective, person-centred services.
What resonated most was how individuals shared the impact of having social spaces truly designed for them, and what it felt like to be respected within those environments. Observing panel discussions where their lived experience was deeply honoured left a lasting impression.
Too often, mental health discourse remains abstract, sidelining the very people using the services. In contrast, this approach placed their stories front and centre in a respectful, courageous, and profoundly generative way. It normalised what are, at their core, ordinary human experiences, much like physical health challenges. Listening to “experts by experience” not only humanised these experiences but also brought them directly to the decision-making table.
This shift depathologises the individual and expands the perspectives informing care. It ensures service providers are hearing beyond the usual echo chamber of the clinical side. This deep respect for individual journeys is a cornerstone of mental health dialogue in the UK. It’s a practice the United States, in particular, could benefit from adopting more widely.
Thinking about “expertise by experience” more broadly also invites us to reconsider how we value the people within the system: those who receive care and those who provide it. NHS workers are experts too, not just by training, but through the deep, lived experience they accumulate in their roles. In a time of immense structural change, how are we honouring and preserving that knowledge? More importantly, how are we valuing them, not just for what they’ve learned, but for who they are within the fabric of care? If we’re serious about building compassionate, responsive systems, we can’t afford to treat either group as expendable.
Navigating the Digital Frontier in Mental Health
Another significant takeaway from the Mental Health Network event was the pervasive yet often misunderstood role of technology. In this abundance of ever-improving technology, the conversation must extend beyond merely increasing tech integration. We have to focus on identifying the right tools, in the right measure, for both providers and users of mental health services
I was particularly struck by the potential for telehealth to support patient management and the crucial need for ongoing evaluation to ensure it genuinely benefits patients. One speaker shared how virtual mental health services resonated strongly with teens and twenty-somethings. For these younger groups, accessing care via voice or video felt intuitive, normalised, and not othered. It’s not about “going to therapy,” but about speaking to someone in a way that feels natural. That shift in modality can make support feel more reachable and real. Meeting people where they are (digitally) is vital when considering what individuals are facing and which tools they’re most comfortable with.
However, despite a clear drive to leverage AI and digital solutions for service delivery and management, the deeper question is: are we optimising these technologies for outcomes, or simply embracing more tech for its own sake? Too often, conversations focus on specific tools without a clear sense of who is thinking holistically. Even within the NHS’s 10-year plan, there’s a strong digital push, but the specifics of how this translates across diverse communities, each with unique needs, feel underdeveloped.
I’ve seen how electronic healthcare records were poorly implemented among older healthcare workers, who often feared or distrusted them. This highlights the need not only to understand what the tech is, but also who is expected to use it, how, and under what conditions. While awareness of these issues is growing—especially for more “analog” users who may feel alienated by new systems—the question remains: are these conversations happening in silos? Are we truly speaking the same language across all user groups, or inadvertently creating new barriers in the name of progress?
As we think about implementation, perhaps this is an excellent opportunity to leverage the human design knowledge of those designing these tools in the tech industry.
Readiness for Change and the Human Element
My experience at the EDI Conference, where I presented on readiness for change, offered another equally vital perspective. I emphasised the importance of bringing one’s personal story into the room to create broader human connections across differences.
The topic resonated with attendees, but I also sensed a quiet disquiet, what felt like a “boiled frog syndrome” in response to impending, large-scale change, especially in light of anticipated job losses within NHS England.
There was a profound sense of paralysis: a lack of agency, and a belief that individuals couldn’t meaningfully influence what comes next. The emotional fallout from these cycles of disruption creates that “boiled frog” helpless inertia, which clearly impacts effectiveness.
This reinforced the urgent need for NHS organisations to engage their people more proactively. This is another opportunity to engage “experts by experience“, only this time it’s engaging the expertise of the people who deeply understand the workplaces that are undergoing change. Understanding how staff are feeling, what they need, and empowering them to actively shape the changes outlined in the 10 year plan is critical. Without that engagement, even the best strategies risk falling flat.
The NHS Confed Expo in June, just before the 10 year plan’s release, carried a clear sense of “wait and see.” This air of uncertainty dampened the appetite for immediate action. Yet, the event was also a dynamic space filled with bold ideas and promising innovations. A strong collective energy emerged around nurturing breakthrough thinking within the NHS, recognising it as essential to the system’s sustainability, resilience, and future existence.
Moving Forward with Purpose
Beyond its immediate implications for healthcare, the expo illuminated a larger national truth: the transformation underway across the NHS reflects a macro-level workforce challenge for all of England, not just the health sector. With an estimated 50,000 job losses—and hundreds of thousands more expected to adapt to new models of work—a sharply focused cross-industry workforce strategy is no longer optional.
How will those made redundant be supported into meaningful new roles? How will their institutional knowledge and skillsets be retained and redeployed? Which other sectors can benefit from their expertise?
What’s required is not only the health-focused workforce plan anticipated later this year, but a national strategy, one that ensures the broader workforce infrastructure can absorb, preserve, and leverage this talent to meet future challenges across industries.
These events painted a picture of an NHS in the midst of profound transformation, grappling with challenges but also brimming with possibility. For me, three core lessons stood out:
- Prioritise the voices of those with lived experience – both service users and service employees.
- Thoughtfully integrate technology—not for its own sake, but for real impact.
- Empower staff to navigate and shape change, rather than simply endure it.
The future of the NHS—and indeed, any institution undergoing a similar evolution—depends on adopting these principles with clarity, empathy, and intent.
