GIRFT will bring two improvement-focused sessions to NHS Confed Expo 2026 in Manchester next month, showcasing how practical redesign and strong clinical leadership can help services tackle variation, improve outcomes and make better use of NHS capacity.
Covering our work in mental health and outpatient care, the two sessions will highlight how organisations can move beyond short-term solutions and embed lasting change that benefits patients, staff and systems.
From shaky ground to solid footing: Building sustainable improvement in mental health and beyond, Improvement Learning Theatre, 4pm, 10 June (Day 1)
This session will explore how providers can move from instability and reactive practice towards a more resilient improvement culture. Drawing on insights from GIRFT’s mental health team and real-world organisational experience, the discussion will examine the relationship between risk, system stability and improvement capability.
Delegates will hear both a leadership perspective on creating the conditions for sustainable change and a practical case study showing what embedded improvement looks like in mental health services. The session is designed to leave attendees with practical approaches they can adapt across a wide range of specialties and settings.
Outpatient care, unlocked: fixing follow-up through clinical and operational redesign, Improvement Learning Theatre, 12pm, 11th June (Day 2)
This session focuses on one of the NHS’s most pressing operational challenges: unwarranted variation in follow-up care. Building on learning from GIRFT’s Further Faster 20 and Further Faster Follow-Up programmes, the session will show how redesigned outpatient pathways can improve access, reduce inequalities and release much-needed capacity.
Speakers will share how standardised clinical protocols, risk stratification, safety-netting, patient initiated follow-up, remote monitoring and digital-enabled pathways can support safer, more personalised care. Provider examples will also offer practical lessons on implementation, scaling and reducing pressure across the wider system.
NHS Confed Expo 2026 is being held at Manchester Central from 10-11 June, bringing together more than 6,000 leaders, professionals and partners. Take a look at the agenda, and choose from over 180 sessions including thought-provoking keynotes, panel discussions and breakout sessions.
Book your pass today. NHS, local authority and wider public sector staff are eligible for a free ticket.
