HCA Conference 2026

 

Cultivating Conversations: Patients as True Partners for Progress

Meaningful progress in healthcare depends on meaningful conversations. The question is no longer whether patients should be part of these conversations, but how they can be involved from the outset and how we work together as true partners.

This year’s HCA conference will explore the topic of patient partnerships in detail and from multiple perspectives to better understand why it matters and how collaboration and open dialogue can lead to better clinical trial design, health policies and communications today. Also, how partnerships may evolve in the future to shape better outcomes for patients, healthcare professionals, industry and healthcare systems as a whole.

Across two interactive afternoon sessions, we will bring together patients, patient advocates, communication leaders, industry and healthcare professionals to examine what genuine partnership looks like in practice – and how we can move beyond tokenism to true co-creation. A stellar array of speakers and panellists are already confirmed, including:

Manchester: 

Simran Bal, Clinical Pharmacist at Guys & St Thomas NHS Trust and Trustee, League of Diabetes Charity

Mo Christie, Head of Patient Services, The PBC Foundation

Lucy Eddowes, Co-Chair, Passion Partnership and Scientific Director and Head of Pro-Bono, Costello Medical  

Al Franks,  Social and Digital Account Manager, Envision 90TEN

Kathryn Gray PhD, HCA Committee Member, Global Agency Head Envision 90TEN, Envision Medical Communications

Kerry Leeson-Beevers, Chief Executive, Alström Syndrome UK

Eric Ngwenya, MPharm, Compliance Consultant, Compliance Hub

Catherine Priestley,PhD, Vice President, Head of Biopharma Communications, Fresenius Kabi

Rachel Pryzby, VP, Client Partnership and Growth Strategy, Patient Communications, Lumanity

Kersten Sharrock, M.S., Global Head, Integrated Patient Engagement, Sanofi

Mercy Shibemba, Award-Winning Advocate, Health journalist, Podcaster and Grant-Maker

Prof. Derek Stewart OBE, Honorary Professor at National University of Ireland, Galway, Co-chair of the UK Health Research Authority #MakeItPublic Campaign Group on Research Transparency and Non-Exec Director for the ISRCTN Registry

London:

Azmain Chowdhury, MBBS BSc, GP Registrar and Clinician Creator

Sarah Clarke MBBS - Author of Clarke’s Code Companion and ABPI Code Expert

Naomi Elster PhD, Director of Research, Prostate Cancer Research 

Rick Evans, Social Strategy Director, Envision 90TEN

Barbara Fountain, CEO and Founder, Young Tongues

Gavin Griffiths,  Founder, League of Diabetes and Marketing Manager, LivaNova

Andreas Hadjicharalambous, Account Director, Obsidian Healthcare Group

Sam Howland, Brand Communications and Patient Advocacy Lead, U.K. & Ireland, Ipsen

Emma Kenny, HCA Board Member

Lynn Laidlaw, Patient and Public Partner to Research; Peer Researcher

Elena Mills PhD, Co-Chair, Passion Partnership and Co-founder & Managing Director, The Salve 

Gabor Purman MD MBA, Patient Advocacy Director, Corporate Affairs Team, Kyowa Kirin

Sam Robinson, Director, Practice Lead, AXON

Dominic Shadbolt, Managing Director, PatientSignal; Founder of theMSguide.com and Honorary Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London

Maisie Weinschenk, Director, Social Media Insight & Analytics, Lumanity

Conference dates and venues:

📍 Manchester – Thursday 18th June 12–5 pm
      Venue: No.1 Circle, Manchester, M1 7FS

📍 London – Wednesday 8th July 12–5 pm
      Venue: Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2HZ

Both events will be followed by a drink’s reception and networking opportunity from 5-7pm.

Those non HCA members that want to sign up to attend the Conference virtually, please register as a non-member here and go to the event page below to sign up. 

Join us to cultivate conversations that matter – and help shape a more collaborative future for healthcare.

The HCA activity in 2026 is sponsored by AXON, Envision Pharma Group, Lumanity and Obsidian Healthcare Group

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