Health Tech 2025 – From Vision to Impact: Making HealthTech work in Practice

This year, our spotlight is firmly on the region’s health tech achievements. We’re shining a light on the organisations and people who are making change happen. Moving beyond policy documents to share practical insights, real progress, and inspiring stories from across Greater Manchester and beyond.

Join us as we focus on the Problem → Challenge → Solution keeping away from policy and focused on practice.

9.15 – 9.25 / Welcome by Bruntwood SciTech

9.25 – 9.55 / PANEL SESSION: From Policy to Practice: Delivering Real Change in GM. This session dives straight into the heart of our theme. How is Greater Manchester moving from well-meaning policy to practical, on the ground progress. Our panel will explore what “good” really looks like in the city, how technology is transforming primary care, and why listening to the patient voice is key to creating lasting change.

  • Gareth Thomas (HOST) – Health Innovation Manchester
  • Daniel Taylor – Vocal & NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Emergency and Acute Care
  • Russ Cowper – Patient & Public contributor
  • Sally Rennison – Patient Knows Best

9.55 – 10.10/ KEYNOTE: GM adoption, GM adoption initiatives, successes & lessons 

  • Dr Katherine Boylan – Deputy Managing Director for R&I (Innovation) – NHS / MFT

10.10 – 10.25/ KEYNOTE: Groundbreaking Genetic Test Preventing Newborn Hearing Loss. Let’s look at one of the successes – The Genedrive MT-RNR1 test, created through the PALOH programme, developed by researchers at Saint Mary’s Hospital, gives results in just 26 minutes from a simple cheek swab—allowing doctors to avoid antibiotics that can cause deafness. Already used across all eight Greater Manchester neonatal sites, it’s safeguarded 11 babies’ hearing and tested over 4,000 newborns, with a two-year expansion now underway across the UK.

  • Bill Newman – Prof of Translational Genomics – University of Manchester

10.25 – 10.55 / Tea/coffee break & networking

10.55 – 11.25 / PANEL SESSION: Procurement – Getting Innovation into the NHS, is it achievable? Breaking into the NHS can feel like a maze for smaller firms; however, some are finding their way. This panel session showcases some of Manchester’s success stories in health tech procurement, join us as they share examples of persistence and practical know-how to help innovative companies get their solutions adopted and make an impact.

  • Sim Singh-Landa – Praetura (HOST)
  • Dr Nabeel Arshad, GP Partner at The Brooke Surgery
  • Taz Aldawoud – Doc Abode
  • James Burch – Decently

11.25 – 11.45 / KEYNOTE: Transforming Mental Health: Digital Innovation. Digital tools are reshaping how we think about mental health support. This session delves into the growing use of mental health apps, the role of AI in therapy, and the complex challenges around regulation.

  • Dr Zied Tayeb – MyelinZ

11.45 – 12.15 / PANEL SESSION: Virtual Wards: From Concept to Care at Home. “Care at home” is far from a new idea and with the NHS Online Hospital set to launch by 2027, virtual wards will enable millions of online consultations, and follow-ups. This panel looks at the real world roll-out of virtual wards, exploring what’s working, where the barriers lie, and how technology is helping patients recover in the comfort of their own homes.

  • Rebecca Hainsworth – Browne Jacobson (Host)
  • Alfredo Maria Gravagnuolo – The Nano Biotechnology Hub
  • Dr Saif Ahmed – Health Innovation Manchester & Tameside and Glossop ICFT
  • Markella Mikkelsen – Molemart

12.15– 12.30 / KEYNOTE: Inside AstraZeneca: Overcoming Challenges to Advance Innovation

Join Terry Reed from AstraZeneca for an inspiring look inside one of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical innovators. Terry will reveal how AstraZeneca is overcoming challenges, accelerating innovation, and shaping the future of healthcare through science, strategy, and collaboration.

  • Terry Reed – AstraZeneca

12.30 – 13.00 / PANEL SESSION: The Next Decade of HealthTech: Innovation at Scale. This session takes a deep dive into the future of health tech and life sciences in Greater Manchester and beyond. Panellists will explore strategies for advancing innovation, including the role of diversity in research and how inclusive approaches are shaping better solutions. From Neurotech and AgeTech to hospital-to-community case studies across the 10 regions.

  • Charlotte Lewis – Mills & Reeve (Host)
  • Devika Wood Brain + (I am Arla)
  • Lloyd Humphries – Cogniss
  • Lukas Hughes-Noehrer – MFT/NHS
  • Terry Reed – AstraZeneca

13.00 – 13.10 / Closing remarks and thanks

13.10 – 14.00 / Lunch provided by Open Kitchen and networking