2025 Agenda

Delivering on devolution: a new era

11 Jun 2025
Exchange Hall - main stage
Integration – system / place / neighbourhood

Local governance in England is going through a radical change, which presents new challenges and opportunities for the NHS.

Devolution has significant implications. The social determinants of health are being devolved to strategic authorities at greater speed and to a greater extent. The government is developing a ‘bespoke statutory health duty’ for these authorities and mayors are expected to have a prominent role at the system level. Simultaneously, many local authorities are being reorganised and the government has a clear ambition for coterminous public service boundaries.

Alongside this the NHS is itself rethinking accountability. This new operating model aims to shift towards systems self-managing with earned freedom, enabling us to best deliver for our communities.

This panel will explore how the NHS and local government can co-design ways to work together to improve health and prosperity.

Claire Ward
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands - East Midlands Combined County Authority
Cathy Elliot
Cathy Elliot, Chair - NHS West Yorkshire ICB - incoming Chief Executive - NHS Cheshire and Merseyside