"This conference comes at a crucial time as the NHS seeks to refine and implement its UEC strategy, focusing on both technical and operational challenges. The event is an essential platform for addressing the urgent need to optimise service delivery, improve resource utilisation and build a sustainable workforce. Given the ongoing pressures on the UEC system, this conference provides an opportunity to discuss innovative solutions and strategies that can be implemented in the short to medium term to improve outcomes and service efficiency.
Key Content Streams
The conference will feature several critical content streams, each focusing on a different aspect of UEC service transformation:
Enhancing 999 and 111 Services: This stream will explore the success and limitations of recent initiatives aimed at improving call-handling capacity, reducing call abandonment rates and managing ambulance handovers more effectively. The use of data analytics to predict demand and optimise resource allocation will be a key focus.
Maximising Urgent Treatment Centres: This stream will provide an in-depth analysis of UTCs, examining their role in alleviating pressure on emergency departments. Discussions will include the integration of UTCs with primary care and the use of real-time data to improve patient routing and care delivery.
Strengthening Diagnostics and Acute Services: A focus on improving access to diagnostics and acute care within UEC settings will be central to this stream. Topics will include the deployment of advanced imaging technologies, the development of rapid diagnostic pathways and the integration of point-of-care testing to reduce delays and improve patient outcomes.
Building a Sustainable UEC Workforce: This stream will address long-term workforce planning, including the expansion of training programs, the development of new care models such as Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) and strategies to reduce reliance on locum staff. The role of AI and automation in supporting clinical decision-making and reducing workload pressures will also be explored."
