Last week I attended my 4th annual Nuffield Trust Summit in Windsor. 

I look forward to the event as the #ntsummmit fosters thought provoking, evidence led and rhetoric free conversations amongst leading policy makers, clinicians and international experts striving to improve health & social care.

Entrusted to document the two day Summit, my role was to capture each speaker, key moments within panel discussions and audience engagement for archive and reproduction in the Nuffield Trust’s media output. Accompanying the Summit’s comprehensive video livestream, I also supplied photographs to the NT’s Communications Team, who would distill my images into templates ready with quotes and feed the social media behemoth - in near realtime.

Amongst the Summit’s core themes this year, my highlights included  ‘Perspectives on how international comparisons will shape health reform in the US’, ‘Improving health outcomes for vulnerable groups, with a focus on prisoner health’ led by and ‘Learning lessons from 40 years’ history of health policy’ and I encourage you to view these fantastic presentations from Prof Ashish Jha from Harvard Global Health Institute and Harvard Medical School / Dr Miranda Davies, a Senior Fellow Nuffield Trust and Prof Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England and DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser, UK Government.

With the advent of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and three of the UK’s most senior Health officials Prof Chris Whitty, Sir Simon Stevens and Rt Hon Matt Hancock being present as speakers, the additional general media presence was felt, understandably ‘looking for a story’. Along with one of this year’s core themes - the history of health policy - the Summit takes a long view and doubles down on detail and more granular analysis, so I was impressed with the tricky balancing act of acknowledging Coronavirus / media demands but not allowing it to spread and dominate proceedings - as each Summit addresses fundamental and structural issues facing health and social care, and it is rare for so many senior minds to gather such a focused manner.

The Nuffield Trust is a trusted and highly respected independent health charity and their website offers a rich seam of in-depth research and analysis - I urge to investigate, as their findings effect us all. Also look & listen out for NT’s television & radio regulars Nigel Edwards,  Helen Buckingham & John Appleby who always provide a measured and factual counterpoint to an all too easily digestible news soundbite. 

And lastly, thank you Leonora Merry for taking a shot of me with the supadupa Summit comms team :-)