Informative sessions

Guidance for session leads

You've made it into the programme – congratulations! Your session at NHS ConfedExpo 2026 is an opportunity to share what's genuinely working in health and care, to spark ideas across the system, and to leave delegates energised to take action back in their own organisations.

This guide covers everything you need to know to plan, prepare and deliver an excellent session. Please read it in full - the details here will save you time and help your session land brilliantly.

In this guide:

• What makes a great informative session?
• Session format at a glance
• Your responsibilities as session lead
  • Selecting and managing speakers
  • Patient and public involvement
  • Keeping your session current
  • Promoting your session
• Key dates and deadlines

What makes a great informative session?

Informative sessions are where the real stories live. They're your chance to bring case studies to life, showing not just what you did, but how others could do it too. Think about the delegates in the room: over half are Heads of Department or senior leaders, and they're looking for practical insight they can take back to their organisations and use.

The best sessions inspire action. Aim to leave your audience with a clear understanding of the change you made, the impact it had, the honest challenges you faced along the way, and the key lessons they can apply. Where possible, make space for conversation - your Q&A is often where the most valuable exchanges happen.

Session formats at a glance

• 40 minutes in total - plan for at least 5-10 minutes of Q&A within that time.
• Theatre-style seating - no breakout activities, but interactive Q&A is encouraged and expected.
• No more than two case studies per session, presented by those who led the work locally.
• No more than four speakers in total, including the session chair.
• The focus is on showcasing outstanding work and demonstrating how other teams and organisations can achieve similar results.

Your responsibilities as session lead

You're the steward of your session, from selecting the right speakers to making sure every delegate leaves having learning something they can use. Here's what that involves:

Selecting and managing speakers

Great speakers make great sessions. As you pull your lineup together, keep these principles in mind:

• Limit national NHS speakers to one at most - bring in voices from across the health and care sector.
• Actively consider diversity across all protected characteristics when selecting speakers.
• Stick to the speaker numbers for your session type (no more than four, including the chair).
• Before inviting anyone from national or local government, or from a national think tank, email sessions@nhsconfed.org.

Once you've confirmed speakers, brief them well:

• Agree clearly what each person will cover and how their contributions connect.
• Tell them where to gather before the session.
• Confirm attendance early and encourage speakers to submit their profiles as soon as possible.

Once a speaker is marked as confirmed in Lineup Ninja, we'll reach out to them directly for their biography and photo. If a speaker sends these to you first, please forward them to sessions@nhsconfed.org.

Patient and public involvement

NHS ConfedExpo is at its best when it reflects the people the NHS exists to serve. We'd love every session to find a meaningful way to demonstrate co-production and lived experience, and there are more options than you might think:

• Include people with lived experience as speakers or co-presenters, taking into account their experience at events.
• Use video footage showing lived experience partners or community involvement.
• Share direct quotes from members of the public you've worked with.
• Describe how you've incorporated people and community insight into your findings and actions.
• Detail the real-world impact of your work - what's changed for the people and communities you serve?

Keeping your session current

The NHS moves fast. Make sure your session reflects the most up-to-date picture of your work, especially in relation to key national strategies or plans. Where relevant, cover efficiency savings, productivity gains and staff benefits alongside the core aim of improving quality, safety and patient access.

Promoting your session

You know your audience better than anyone. Use your existing channels to reach the people who'd benefit most from attending, and let us do the rest. We'll provide:

• Generic copy you can adapt and use
• Social media graphics
• A PowerPoint slide template

Promotion should be ongoing from when the online agenda launches right up to the event itself.

Key dates and deadlines

Questions?

We're here to help you make your session the best it can be. If anything in this guidance raises questions, or if you'd like to talk through your session plans, get in touch with the team at sessions@nhsconfed.org.

We can't wait to see what you bring to NHS ConfedExpo 2026.