LEADERSHIP FORUM

Join us in Telford, May 14-16 2025, for our National Leadership Forum

Fit for Purpose: Adapting, Developing, Delivering

Estates and Facilities Management, in common with the rest of the NHS, remains in a state of flux. The political landscape has changed, and the new Government, insisting that reform is essential, has set out the three big shifts it wants to drive for the NHS. HEFMA’s 2025 Forum aims to identify what that means for EFM. The programme will help to guide E&F service delivery to become an inspirational part of directing how that change affects the patient journey, through our estate and the built environment, to demonstrate how a Return on Investment translates into improved patient care.

Thursday, May 15

Conference Programme Day One

Welcome to the 2025 Forum

Richard Best, Chair of HEFMA’s West Midlands Branch

Rachel McTavish, Forum Host

The West Midlands Branch extends a warm welcome to everyone attending the 2025 Forum. Branch and Forum Chair, Richard Best will introduce the theme for the two days, before handing over to Forum Host, professional journalist and broadcaster Rachel McTavish.

Kinder Healthcare is Safer Healthcare

Tim Keogh, CEO and Co-founder, A Kind Life: Forum Keynote Address

As Co-founder at A Kind Life Tim’s mission is to spread kindness in healthcare. Over the past 15 years Tim has worked with more than 75 healthcare organisations and 100,000 healthcare staff, nurturing kinder cultures, leaders and teams.

Policy Update

Fiona Daly, National Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities, NHS England

With a new, ‘mission-led’ Government in power, this session will drill into what that means for the immediate future of estates and facilities services. 

Delivering for Members

David Moss, HEFMA National Chair

David will provide members with an update of Association activities over the past 12 months, including the results of the first national membership survey, and the new five-year strategy to 2030.

Managing Risk

David Jones, Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Development, University Hospital of Southampton 

Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green, Consultant Clinical Scientist within Infection Prevention and Control, and Lead Healthcare Scientist at Great Ormond Street Hospital

This session will approach two very different issues of risk management for E&F teams. Working towards a Ph.D, David’s research has focused on understanding the causal relationship between backlog maintenance and patient incidents within the acute sector of NHS England. This will identify further research opportunities to support the day-to-day management of estates.

Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green’s work focuses on the role of the environment in the transmission of infection, as well as the use of molecular tools to investigate transmission events and antimicrobial resistance.

Future of FM Services

Adrian Eggleton, Trainer and Engineer/Architect, EggletonEngineeringPlus

NHS England speaker tbc

This session will provide an update on standards, before switching the focus to the workforce and service delivery. What will the future facilities workforce look like, what skills will they need and how might services be delivered in a local setting?

Workstream Update

Carrie-Ann Cruickshank and Paula Coward: Compliance

Cliff Howell and David Sanderson: Digitalisation

Richard Best: Sustainability

Rob Jepson: Workforce

HEFMA’s workstream leads will take part in a panel session during which they will provide an update on their group’s core activities and objectives for the next 12 months.

Friday, May 16

Conference Programme Day Two

Focus on Sustainability and Waste

Janet Smith, Head of Sustainability, and Richard Penberthy, Waste Services Manager, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

A view from the frontline of services, detailing action that is being taken.

Dr Anne Woolridge, Chief Operating Officer, Independent Safety Services

As COO of a healthcare waste and dangerous goods technical consultancy, Anne has a wealth of research and practical experience both within the UK and globally, including advising NHS England on the NHSE Clinical Waste Strategy and HTM 07-01.  

Workforce Development

Rob Smith, Senior Employer Engagement Manager, Dudley College of Technology

Sian Foster, Head of Operations, DFN Project SEARCH

Developing new talent and unlocking overlooked talent pools to improve the long-term sustainability of the E&F workforce.

Build resilience, embrace inclusion and achieve excellence

Colin Jackson CBE, Motivational Keynote

One of Britain’s most celebrated athletes and now broadcaster and inspirational speaker, Colin is renowned for his exceptional achievements in the 110m hurdles. Since retiring from competitive sports, Colin has transitioned into broadcasting, and in recent years, has become a powerful advocate for diversity, inclusion and mental health awareness. He speaks from the heart about the stressful demands of competing at the highest level and the impacts of anxiety, offering a unique perspective on resilience and wellbeing.

Closing Remarks

David Moss, HEFMA National Chair

David will draw the programme to a close and pick out his own highlights from the two days.

Networking events

Wednesday, May 14: Ice-breaker dinner and networking opportunity for delegates with food and entertainment.

Thursday, May 15: Gala dinner, at which the winners of HEFMA’s 2025 awards will be announced.

Early bird bookings are now being taken. Please scroll down to book your place.