For healthcare innovators, technology companies, clinicians, and organisations looking to work with the NHS, one of the biggest challenges is knowing who to connect with.

Finding the right decision-makers, understanding NHS priorities, and building meaningful relationships can take time. GIANT Health 2026 brings these communities together in one place, creating opportunities to meet senior NHS leaders, clinicians, healthcare innovators, procurement professionals, and decision-makers shaping the future of healthcare.

Taking place on 7th and 8th December 2026 at The Business Design Centre in London, GIANT Health provides a valuable environment for conversations, networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration across the NHS and wider healthcare ecosystem.

Meet Leaders Who Understand the NHS from the Inside

GIANT Health's network includes senior healthcare leaders and experts from across the UK healthcare system. Its Board of Advisors brings together experience spanning clinical practice, digital health, innovation, medicines optimisation, robotics, and NHS commercial leadership.

Among the names associated with GIANT Health are:

Professor Shafi Ahmed

Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Barts Health NHS Trust

Professor Shafi Ahmed is a leading surgeon, teacher, futurist, and innovator. His work includes pioneering approaches to minimally invasive surgery and using virtual reality to support surgical education and training. His experience reflects the important connection between clinical practice and emerging healthcare technology.

Dr Keith Grimes

Digital Health & Innovation Consultant, Curistica Ltd

Dr Keith Grimes brings expertise in digital health and healthcare innovation, offering insight into how technology can be applied to improve healthcare delivery and patient experiences.

Dr Rima Makarem

Chair, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Rima Makarem represents senior healthcare leadership and brings valuable perspectives on organisational transformation, healthcare services, and the challenges involved in implementing change across the NHS.

Manka Ramachandran

Chief Pharmacist & Clinical Director for Medicines Optimisation, CDAO, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

Manka Ramachandran brings specialist experience in medicines optimisation and pharmacy leadership, highlighting the importance of connecting clinical expertise with innovation and system-wide healthcare improvement.

Rajesh Sivaprakasam

Lead for Robotic Surgery and Co-Chair of Multi-specialty, Barts Health NHS Trust

Rajesh Sivaprakasam is closely involved in robotic surgery and surgical transformation. His work demonstrates how emerging technologies can move from innovation and pilot projects towards practical implementation within NHS services. GIANT Health's programme has also featured discussions around robotics, operating theatres, AI, and the future of surgery.

Rob Knott

Commercial Director, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Rob Knott brings a commercial and NHS Trust perspective to the healthcare innovation ecosystem, helping highlight the importance of understanding how technology can deliver practical value within healthcare organisations.

Why Connecting with NHS Decision-Makers Matters

For a healthcare technology company, having an innovative product is only part of the journey.

To successfully introduce a solution into the NHS, organisations need to understand clinical needs, operational challenges, procurement processes, budgets, implementation requirements, and the priorities of healthcare systems.

Meeting NHS leaders and professionals directly can help innovators ask the right questions and develop a clearer understanding of what healthcare organisations actually need.

For NHS professionals, these conversations work both ways. Connecting with technology providers and innovators can provide exposure to new solutions that may help address challenges within hospitals, integrated care systems, primary care, and other healthcare settings.

Connect Across the NHS Healthcare Ecosystem

GIANT Health 2026 is designed to bring together different parts of the healthcare ecosystem.

The event includes dedicated programmes such as the NHS National Procurement Show, the Innovating NHS Systems Congress, the Future Hospital Show, and the NHS National AI Conference. These programmes focus on areas including procurement, integrated care systems, hospital transformation, artificial intelligence, and NHS innovation.

This means attendees can go beyond traditional networking and engage with people working on some of the UK's most important healthcare challenges.

From Networking to Meaningful Partnerships

The most valuable conversations at a healthcare event often happen outside formal presentations.

A conversation with an NHS leader can lead to a deeper understanding of a healthcare challenge. A meeting with a procurement professional can help clarify the route to market. A discussion with a clinician can reveal how a technology could be improved for real-world use.

These interactions can become the starting point for:

• NHS partnerships

• Technology pilots

• Procurement conversations

• Clinical collaborations

• Strategic partnerships

• Innovation projects

• Investment opportunities

• Knowledge-sharing initiatives

GIANT Health's own community includes NHS leaders, clinicians, innovators, and organisations working across health, technology, and innovation. The event reports that 75% of attendees hold senior positions, including C-suite, company director, and head-of-innovation roles.

A Place to Understand NHS Priorities

Connecting with NHS leaders is not simply about exchanging business cards.

It is about understanding the challenges healthcare organisations face and discovering where innovation can make a genuine difference.

At GIANT Health 2026, attendees can explore discussions around areas such as:

• Digital transformation

• Artificial intelligence in healthcare

• NHS procurement

• Integrated care systems

• Hospital innovation

• Robotics and surgical technology

• Medicines optimisation

• Patient-centred care

• Healthcare technology adoption

By hearing directly from people working within the healthcare system, innovators can gain insights that are difficult to obtain from research alone.

Connect with the People Shaping the Future of Healthcare

The future of healthcare will depend on collaboration between NHS leaders, clinicians, technology innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and healthcare organisations.

GIANT Health 2026 creates a meeting point for these communities.

Whether you are an established healthtech company looking to expand within the NHS, a start-up searching for clinical insight, a healthcare professional exploring new technologies, or an NHS organisation looking for innovative solutions, the event offers opportunities to meet people who can help move ideas forward.

Join GIANT Health 2026

On 7th & 8th December 2026, healthcare leaders and innovators will gather at The Business Design Centre in London for GIANT Health 2026.

Come to meet NHS decision-makers, connect with clinical leaders, discover innovative technologies, and gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges shaping the UK's healthcare system.

Connect with the people behind NHS innovation.

Discover new opportunities.

Build relationships that can help shape the future of healthcare.

Be Part of GIANT Health 2026

7th & 8th December 2026
The Business Design Centre, London, England

Connect. Collaborate. Innovate.