NENC Elective & UEC Spring Conference 2025: Driving Improvement Through Collaboration

Healthcare leaders from across the North East and North Cumbria came together earlier this month for the NENC Elective & UEC Spring Conference, held at The Durham Centre.

Organised by the NENC Provider Collaborative alongside the NENC ICB, the event provided a focused space to reflect on progress, share learning, and align on priorities for Elective and Urgent & Emergency Care (UEC) across the region.

The event was co-chaired by Lyn Simpson, Vice Chair of the NENC Provider Collaborative and Chief Executive of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, alongside Birju Bartoli, Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

A Regional Perspective

The day began with Sir Jim Mackey, NHS England Transitional CEO, offering a regional overview of performance and outcomes. His remarks set the stage for a day centred on practical improvement and system-wide collaboration. After the conference, we caught up with Jim for a short Q&A, watch here.

Learning from Practice

Sessions throughout the day highlighted both strategic direction and operational delivery:

• Professor Tim Briggs discussed the role of the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme in supporting elective recovery and clinical quality. After the event we spoke with Tim as he discussed clinical leadership, improvement, and what’s next for elective recovery. Watch here.

• Case studies on ambulance handovers, front door redesign, and paediatric UEC standards provided real-world examples of innovation and service improvement.

• Dr Neil O’Brien closed the day with a session on winter planning and building resilience across the system.

A Collaborative Approach

The conference reinforced the importance of working across organisational boundaries to improve care. The NENC Provider Collaborative continues to play a key role in bringing partners together to address shared challenges and deliver better outcomes for patients.

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