How can the NHS transform surgical services to meet patient demand, boost productivity, and build a sustainable future?

Elective recovery remains one of the NHS’s greatest challenges. With millions of patients still waiting for surgery, it is vital that operating theatres become more efficient, more innovative, and more sustainable without compromising safety, experience, or workforce wellbeing.

The 2025 NHS Delivery Plan calls for integrated, patient-centred care supported by modern infrastructure, resilient teams, and smart use of data and technology. Now more than ever, perioperative services must collaborate, adapt, and lead the way.

The Institute of Government & Public Policy’s Operating Theatres North Show 2025 returns to Greater Manchester this September, uniting clinical, strategic, and operational leaders from across the UK’s operating departments. This one-day national conference will offer powerful insights into driving theatre productivity, reforming elective care pathways, and delivering sustainable improvement at pace.

The programme opens with Peter Kay, National Clinical Director for Musculoskeletal Services at NHS England, who will join a high-level panel to explore system-wide approaches to reducing waiting times, enhancing patient access, and transforming elective surgery delivery across the NHS.

Featured speakers from:

• Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) will share national strategies to improve theatre productivity across the perioperative pathway

• The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) will explore how multidisciplinary teamwork and communication underpin safe, high-performing theatres

• The College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP) will spotlight the evolving role of ODPs in perioperative and critical care

• The Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) will examine the barriers to theatre access and surgical training across NHS services

Additional sessions will cover the economics of insourcing and weekend elective work, the implementation of the Green Theatre Checklist, the role of hierarchy and respect in theatre culture, and the transformative potential of AI in elective care delivery.

Key themes include:  

• Strategies for reducing surgical backlogs through smarter scheduling and cross-team collaboration

• Optimising workforce development, leadership, and wellbeing in theatre services

• Building sustainable, Net Zero-aligned theatres with real-world tools and frameworks

• Improving training access, retention, and leadership development across all perioperative roles

The event is free to attend for NHS and public sector professionals working in surgery, theatres, anaesthetics, perioperative services, and elective care management. Part-funded rates are available for private sector attendees  contact us to secure your place.

Spaces are limited  book early to avoid disappointment.
Join us to explore the future of surgery, share your experiences, and help shape the next era of operating theatre delivery in the NHS.