World experts and UK health leaders head to Health and Care Innovation Expo 2015

Some of the world's most renowned experts in healthcare are to explore how the NHS Five Year Forward View is being turned into reality.

Dr Devi Shetty, India's leading authority on cardiac treatment, and Dr David Agus, cancer specialist and international leader in genetic research, are just two of the star speakers who will address Health and Care Innovation Expo 2015 - which is hosted by NHS England and is the most significant health and care event of the year. They will be joined by Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, and by Minister for Life Sciences George Freeman MP.

Jeroen Tas, CEO of Healthcare Informatics, Solutions and Services at technology giant Philips, who has more than 30 years of global experience as a healthcare entrepreneur, will also take to the stage.

NHS England's Chief Executive Simon Stevens, National Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh, Chief Nursing Officer for England, Jane Cummings, and Tim Kelsey, National Director for Patients and Information will all make keynote speeches.

The event comes as the NHS focusses on how it can continue to deliver some of the finest services anywhere in the world while facing significant health, population and financial challenges.

The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "I'm looking forward to talking directly to hard-working staff from all over the health sector, and seeing first-hand the great progress and groundbreaking innovations being made in the NHS."

Dr Devi Shetty, a world-leading cardiac surgeon and pioneer of "micro-insurance" systems for health in India, will tell Expo 15: "If a solution is not affordable, it is not a solution. It is pointless talking about great developments in heart surgery or cancer care if a common man cannot afford it.

"The next big thing in healthcare is not going to be another magic pill or a fastest scanner or a new operation. The next big thing in healthcare is going to be Information Technology which will change everything that we do in healthcare."

Dr David Agus added: "I believe in what the NHS is doing: tackling disease head on through prevention. The conference, which emphasises the team approach between the NHS, patients and care givers is a paramount start to change health. I hope this becomes a worldwide model. Many health systems and countries have shifted the debate only to health care finance, to the detriment of health."

The event's provisional agenda demonstrates a sharp focus on where changes are taking place in the NHS, scrutiny of how new care models have already improved patient care, and understanding of where the next steps will happen.

The timing of Expo 2015, held at Manchester Central on 2 and 3 September, is significant, coming just four months into a new Government and just under a year after Chief Executive Simon Stevens and other key health partners set out their vision for the NHS in England.

As such, Expo 2015 presents a unique opportunity for the NHS, its partners and patients, to share innovation, knowledge, best practice, experience, plans and goals for implementing change.

Delegates will get an exclusive in-depth look at the developments in Greater Manchester as the region embarks on its ambitious health and care devolution project.

There will be a two-day programme of learning, discussion and networking from the Greater Manchester reform team in their dedicated exhibition zone.

Other major zone areas will focus on Vanguard sites and other new models of care, Integrated Personal Commissioning and Diabetes Prevention Pilots.

As well as the packed agenda over two major speaker stages the unique Pop-Up University will return to Expo 2015, with more than 100 interactive workshops focussing on a huge range of different innovations and improvements, and facilitated by national experts and leaders.

Major themes this year are future models of delivery, commissioning for outcomes and leadership development. It all adds up to a melting pot of ideas, experiences and plans from across NHS and wider public, private and voluntary sectors.

Expo 2015 will also feature the Kate Granger Compassionate Care Awards, with more than 90 nominees fighting it out for the prestigious prizes.

Register for a ticket here.

Follow news and conversations about Expo 2015 on Twitter @NHSExpo or through #Expo15NHS.