5 Rewired sessions for digital health innovators navigating the NHS

DigitalHealth Rewired returns to The NEC, Birmingham, on Tuesday 24 March and Wednesday 25 March 2026. Amongst the agenda is the annual Pitchfest competition, which sees Sara Nelson, Programme Director at DigitalHealth London, join the judging panel.

To help you maximise your experience at the conference, we share five must-attend sessions for digital innovators navigating the NHS. 

Must-see talks: 

Health Innovation Network Zone
Tuesday 24 March and Wednesday 25 March
The Health Innovation Network will host a dedicated zone to provide expert advice and support to NHS staff with challenges to solve, and innovators looking to scale solutions. Eight network-supported innovators will exhibit and share how AI and digital tools can address major NHS challenges, such as cancer, mental health, access to care and tackling missed appointments. The Innovators attending include DigitalHealth.London Accelerator alumni Assuric, getUBetter, and PreActiv; as well as C the Signs; Cogniss; Evira; MySunrise; and SAH Diagnostics.

EMAP: Building NHS Product Capability at Scale
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Tuesday 24 March
Oftentimes, NHS Trusts develop or procure digital solutions independently, which leads to duplicated effort, inconsistent user experiences and limited scalability. This session addresses this challenge by exploring how the East Midlands Providers Digital Design Collaborative (EMP DDC) is reshaping regional digital transformation. Led by Hayley Grafton; Andy Carruthers; and Dave Robson, the session demonstrates how EMAP DDC is not just deploying software, but building repeatable and sustainable product capability at a regional scale. It highlights practical lessons for innovators on how to co-design, scale, and embed digital solutions across complex NHS environments.

Pitchfest
Wednesday 25 March
Pitchfest 2026 is spotlighting eight standout digital health start-ups, selected after a competitive application process. The competition offers innovators a major platform to pitch directly to NHS leaders, investors and industry experts at the conference. This year’s judging panel features Sara Nelson, Programme Director at DigitalHealth.London; alongside Chris Chaney, Chief Executive of CW+; and Michael Morgan Curran, Chief Executive of Asclepius MedTech Limited and the 2025 Pitchfest winner. The finalists include Accelerating FemTech companies Daye and Upskill.health, as well as Astron Health; Cogniss; Into Action Health; Jigsaw Medical; LightHearted AI; and Mavis Technologies. The winning startup will receive tailored support from across Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, including the CW+ charity and CW Innovation Team, with the potential to advance toward an NHS pilot.

Beyond the Dashboard: Designing Digital Care for Minds, Bodies, and Real People
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM | Wednesday 25 March
How can we ensure real-world patient needs are at the centre of digital health tools? The session addresses this by exploring how NHS England, Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley, and the Institute of Global Health Innovation are developing and evaluating evidence-based digital therapeutics. The session will present emerging findings from an upcoming report on the mental health needs of children under 13 and the development of a dedicated digital solution.

From Pilot to Practice: Making Innovation Stick in the NHS
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Wednesday 25 March
Digital solutions can often stall at the pilot stage, slowing implementation within the NHS. This session focuses on how NHS organisations can turn promising digital pilots into sustainable, embedded practice. Speakers from Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, and Buckinghamshire Health Trust each provide practical lessons, common pitfalls, and strategies for ensuring digital innovations spread and deliver long-term impact across services.

Rewired Pitchfest is part of Digital Health Rewired 2026. The conference runs from Tuesday 24 March to Wednesday 25 March 2026, at The NEC, Birmingham. Learn more about the programme and register to attend.