Day two of the Health+Care conference in London brought together leaders from across health and social care. Keynotes from government advisers set the tone, with three themes returning again and again: workforce, technology and prevention.
Mental-health parity
A panel on mental-health parity was among the most thought-provoking sessions of the day. Speakers made the case for putting peer support at the centre of services, and pointed to New Zealand's progressive mental-health policy as an example the UK could learn from.
Parity isn't a slogan — it's about designing services, and funding them, as though mental and physical health matter equally.
Integration and technology
Other sessions explored how integrated care services are taking shape, the role of technology in joining them up, and the legislative change needed to support the NHS Long Term Plan. The launch of NHSX featured prominently, alongside a clear priority: reducing the burden on frontline staff while giving citizens better tools to access information.
Social value and personalised care
The day also turned to social-value calculators and personalised care — themes that resonate strongly with our own approach. For us, the message was reassuring: the direction of travel across the sector is towards the person-centred, community-rooted care we believe in.