Conference

Disability Summit 2025

Bookings are now open for our annual Disability Summit taking place virtually on 19 March 2025.
Register for the event here External link icon

General information

Time
19 March 2025 09:30 - 16:30 GMT
Audience
Open to all

Speakers

  • Headshot of Adeshola Akanji
    Adeshola Akanji External link icon
    Outpatients Transformation and Efficiency Project Manager Barts Health NHS Trust
  • Headshot of Jane Hatton
    Jane Hatton External link icon
    Founder and Chief Executive Officer Evenbreak
  • Hattie Llewelyn-Davies External link icon
    Chair The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust
  • Headshot of Melissa Carr
    Dr Melissa Carr External link icon
    Lecturer in International Human Resource Management and Director of EDI in the World of Work Institute Henley Business School
  • Headshot of Sandi Wassmer
    Sandi Wassmer External link icon
    Chief Executive Officer Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion (enei)
  • Headshot of Stuart Moore
    Stuart Moore
    Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead: Workforce, Training and Education Directorate
  • Graham Huggins
    Graham Huggins External link icon
    Neurodiversity Workplace Assessor, Assistive Technology Training and Coach Neurodiversity Assessment Tech Training and Coaching (NATTC)
  • Headshot of Gina Patel
    Gina Patel External link icon
    Disability and Wellbeing Network co-chair NHS England

Join us virtually on 19 March 2025 for an unmissable event for anyone in the health and care sector looking to create a more inclusive working environment for people with disabilities.

Our Disability Summit will support and empower organisations, including HR professionals; equality, diversity and inclusion leads; and managers. You will gain valuable insights into overcoming barriers in recruitment, career development, and addressing bullying and discrimination. Learn from experts and peers, and hear best practice and innovative strategies that you can take away and implement at a personal, organisational and system level.

Why attend? 

  • Engage with a range of disability experts through thought-provoking discussions and interactive breakout sessions.
  • Discover strategies to eliminate barriers in recruitment, career development, and combat bullying and discrimination.
  • Gain valuable insights and best practice from both within and outside the NHS to implement in your organisation.
  • Be inspired by success stories from organisations that have effectively created inclusive environments for disabled people.

Programme and speakers 

Our summit features a diverse range of expert speakers, engaging breakout sessions, and good practice to help you create workplace cultures in which disabled people can thrive.

Find out more details about the programme below and register your place.

“One of my favourite events of the year, bringing together a diverse range of passionate staff, people professionals, experts and  keynote speakers who are dedicated to improving working experiences of disabled staff in the NHS.”
2023 Disability Summit delegate

  • Senior leaders, managers, occupational health colleagues, trade unions, HR and equality practitioners, disabled staff/students and disabled staff network chairs, and anyone else with an interest in disability. The event is also open to non-NHS organisations. 

  • 9:30-10:00amWelcome from our co-hosts followed by a keynote address 
    10:00-10:45am

    Equity in recruitment practice

    Adeshola Akanji, Outpatients Transformation and Efficiency Project Manager, Barts Health NHS Trust.

    Stuart Moore, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead (Workforce Education and Training), NHS England

    Jane Hatton, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Evenbreak

    10:45-11:00am Break and virtual networking
    11:00-11:35am

    Keynote address

    Dr Darren Ralph, Director of Inclusion, University Hospitals Birmingham

    11:35-11:40am Comfort break
    11:40am - 12:30pm

    Panel discussions (choice of two)

    1. Navigating assistive technology and artificial intelligence

    Dr Nasser Siabi OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Microlink

    Helen Merrick, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

    Haseeb Ahmad, Leicestershire Partnership Trust

    Mary Lavender, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust

    Meike Bliebenicht, DE&I Director and Accessibility/Neurodiversity Lead, BP

    2. Neurodiversity

    Rachel Rummery, Consultant Paediatric and Perinatal Pathologist, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

    Sandi Wassmer, Chief Executive, enei

    Alice McCarron, Chair of Neurodiversity Staff Network, Devon Partnership NHS Trust

    12.20-12.30pm Reflections from the co-hosts
    12:30-1:30pm 

    Lunch break

    Virtual lunch tables will be available for delegates to join if they would like to network.

    1:35-2:30pm

    Disability inclusion in action

    Hear from disabled staff working in the health and social care about their experiences and case studies from the some of the best performing trusts in the Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES). 

    2:30-2:45pmBreak and online networking
    2:45-2:50pmWelcome back from the co-hosts
    2:50-3:40pm 

    Breakout sessions 

    1. Leading change 
    2. The importance of staff networks
    3. Understanding hidden disabilities
    4. Access to work
    5. Psychological safety
    3:40-3:45pm Comfort break
    3:45-4:15pm 

    Keynote address

    Samantha Renke, Actress, Broadcaster, Writer, Disability Rights Campaigner, and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant

    4:15-4:30pm Closing remarks

     

  • If you are interested in becoming an event partner or supporter, please contact our commercial team to explore opportunities: commercialteam@nhsconfed.org

  • We are committed to hosting an inclusive and accessible event that enables people with differing needs to attend and engage fully. 

    This event will be fully captioned and have British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation.

    Please get in touch if you have any other specific requirements by emailing diversityandinclusion@nhsemployers.org