AphA Annual Conference 2026
Save the date – Very Important Date for the Diary!
The AphA Annual Members Conference is coming your way on Thursday, 5th November 2026 at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre — and you won’t want to miss it! Non-members can register for £50 (this includes a 1 year AphA membership).
We will also be presenting the much awaited AphA awards for: AphA Data and Analytical Professional of the Year
AphA Data and Analytical Team of the Year
Please note, award nominations are now closed.
What’s in store?
Inspiring Speakers: Hear from industry thought leaders shaping the future of healthcare analytics. Our keynote speaker will challenge you to rethink your limits, navigate uncertainty, and find your own “oceans to cross.”
Dynamic Panel Sessions: Join discussions tackling the most pressing challenges and emerging trends in our field.
Meet the Board: Quiz your directors, share your ideas, and influence our collective direction.
Interactive Workshops: Gain practical skills, uncover fresh insights, and exchange best practices.
Awards Celebration: Cheer on our Data & Analytical Professional of the Year and Data & Analytical Team of the Year winners!
AphA Conference Gallery 2025
Keynote speaker
Dr Adam Baker
Navigating Uncertainty; Lessons from Extreme Endurance
Dr Adam Baker is a multi-award-winning, world record-breaking doctor who redefines what it means to operate at the edge of human capability. Based in the South West he combines frontline experience in Emergency and Palliative Medicine with some of the most extreme endurance challenges on the planet.
After completing a Masters in Extreme Medicine, he chose a path far from the conventional. With no prior rowing experience, Adam & his wife became the first married couple to complete the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, rowing 3,000 miles across the ocean and months later the first mixed pair to attempt a rowing circumnavigation of Great Britain. Most recently, he pushed human limits in the harshest conditions on Earth, completing official ice swims in both the Arctic Circle and Antarctica.
But his story goes far beyond records. Adam spends his professional life at the frontline of life’s most critical and vulnerable moments. This unique dual perspective, where high-performance meets human fragility, gives his work extraordinary depth and relevance.
Adam’s talks don’t just inspire; they equip you with the mindset and tools to set bold goals, navigate setbacks, lead with clarity, manage failure, redefine success and build resilience that lasts. Through gripping storytelling and honest reflection, Adam challenges you to rethink your limits, navigate uncertainty and find your own “oceans to cross.”
Workshop hosts
Mark Foy
Associate Director of Performance & Planning Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Associate Director of Performance & Planning at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), Mark also serves as the Associate Director of Professional Standards at AphA, where he has been a committed member for over a decade.
With more than 15 years of experience in healthcare, Mark has held a variety of analytical and operational roles, allowing him to bridge the gap between data-driven insight and frontline service delivery. His unique blend of expertise enables him to help teams and organisations understand complex challenges and co-create effective, sustainable solutions. At MFT, Mark plays a pivotal role in leading the Trust’s performance and planning agenda, overseeing strategic initiatives that improve patient access, reduce waiting times, and enhance service coordination—particularly across cancer and urgent care pathways
Within AphA, Mark has held several key positions including North West Branch Lead, Board Member, and currently Chair of the Professional Development Committee, where he oversees the professional registration process for healthcare analysts. His work supports the development of standards and recognition for the analytical profession across the NHS.
Carolyn (Caz) Cooper
Lead Advisor – Clinical Analytics
Carolyn Cooper has 22 years of professional experience in Clinical Coding, NHS data analytics, and digital transformation. Her career has seen her progress from a clinical coder at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals trust to Head of clinical coding at East Sussex hospitals where she gained her auditor and trainer qualifications. She spent 4 years as a senior consultant, specialising in clinical coding at Tribal Health and Capita before returning to the NHS as Head of Clinical Analytics and Clinical Coding at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Whilst at GSTT, she was responsible for leading a very successful improvement programme, supported the Apollo programme (which saw EPIC implemented across GSTT and Kings Colleg Hospitals) and established an enterprise data warehouse that led to the creation of over 600 data driven clinical improvement use cases, such as the award winning Data led care programme.
She is fuelled by a passion for data as a tool to enhance patient care, improve operational efficiency, and foster innovation and sustainability within healthcare. She has undertaken two national roles as lead auditor for the PbR Assurance framework and professional lead for the NCCQ, as IHRIM’s Associate director of Education.
Carolyn is currently the Clinical coding, data and analytics specialist at Woodwards Associates where she is focused on the digital transformation of clinical coding.
Chandan Kaur
Head of Insight NHS Coventry and Warwickshire ICB & NHS Herefordshire & Worcestershire ICB
20+ years’ experience in data & analytics | Engineering, Computer Science & Statistics background | Machine Learning & AI
Passionate about Healthcare Decision Intelligence—bringing together data, insight, evidence, evaluation and AI to help healthcare leaders make better decisions that improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and maximise value. Author of Healthcare Decision Intelligence
Himanshu Jagat
Information and Data Science Manager
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
A self-made, results-driven and forward-thinking healthcare leader with over 15 years of extensive experience across NHS Acute Trusts and international super-speciality hospitals. I combine strategic vision, operational excellence and transformational leadership with multidisciplinary expertise in Healthcare Strategy and Operations, Digital Transformation, Business Intelligence, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Corporate Performance Management and Advanced Analytics, complemented by experience in Supply Chain and Procurement Management, Management Information Systems (MIS), and Sales and Marketing.
I hold two MBA degrees, specialising in Strategy and Change Management from Warwick Business School, UK, and Hospital and Health Management from IIHMR, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. I am currently pursuing an MSc in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at Northeastern University, London, further strengthening my expertise in advanced analytics, machine learning and AI-driven healthcare innovation.
Passionate about translating strategic vision into measurable outcomes, I utilise data and technology to enhance organisational performance and patient outcomes. As a collaborative leader, I empower teams, foster innovation, and build stakeholder relationships for sustainable transformations. Ambitious and committed to excellence, I aspire to be an executive leader within the NHS, focusing on strategic foresight and operational excellence. My philosophy centres on transforming vision into action and innovation into sustainable impact.
Bertha Ignacia Moron-Espinoza
Healthcare Strategy and Analytics Leader | FEDIP Leading Practitioner
Bertha Ignacia Moron-Espinoza is a healthcare strategy and analytics leader committed to turning insight into action and helping people realise their potential. With over 20 years’ NHS experience spanning analytics, commissioning, performance and transformation, she connects analytical expertise with strategic leadership to address complex healthcare challenges.
She has led London-wide performance analytics, supporting executive decision-making, strengthening governance and enabling collaboration across Integrated Care Boards. Her leadership centres on building capable, confident teams and helping analysts demonstrate the difference their work makes.
A FEDIP Leading Practitioner, Bertha champions professional recognition and lifelong learning. Her studies at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford have strengthened her perspective on strategy and innovation. She is currently attending the Chief Data and AI Officer Programme at Imperial College London further developing her expertise in data strategy, responsible AI and organisational transformation.
At the AphA Annual Conference 2026, Bertha will lead a professional registration workshop, helping attendees recognise their capabilities, articulate their impact and take a confident next step in their professional journey.
Simon Wellesley-Miller
Senior Analytical Manager South West Intelligence and Insights Team, NHS England
I am a Senior Analytical Manager with the NHSE South West Intelligence and Insights Team. Prior to that I worked for a mental health provider for 7 years and have worked in management information for the police and child protection for around 5 years. My previous work roles have been DVLA prosecutor, legal cashier, costume designer, and professional goblin (yes I was paid to goblin). I have a MSc in Healthcare Data Science and very keen in seeing how to embed robust statistics and modern data science into more day-to-day analytics, I firmly believe we should be bringing these together into the operational day job to support data driven decisions. I have a keen interest in building analytical questions, visualisation and data story telling techniques to support advanced analytics. I am an NHS Open Analytics community fellow, SPC champion and deputy director of regions for APHA. In my spare time I am a massive nerd and love to play dungeons and dragons and enjoy running (very slowly).
Panelists
Huw Davies
Davies Furlong Consulting, Trainer with the Consortium for Healthcare Analytics INtelligence (CHAIn)
Huw is the Commercial Director for AphA and the CDAO Network as well as being Co-Chair of the Population Health Management Network. In addition to being the Chief Operating Officer for the Data Observatory CIC, Huw also manages his own consultancy, Davies Furlong Consulting, and took a lead role in the development of the National Competency Framework for Data Professionals in Health and Care. He is also an A List comic genius, retired rugby international and coach, and awful guitarist.
Dr Marc Farr
Chief Analytical Officer
NHS Kent and Medway
East Kent Hospitals NHS FT
Dr. Marc Farr is the Chief Data and Analytical Officer at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, bringing over 20 years of expertise in data science and health informatics to his role. With a PhD in Health Informatics from the University of Lancaster, an Honorary Professorship from UCL and a Senior Research Fellow Role at Canterbury Christchurch, Dr. Farr is renowned for his contributions in predictive analytics, inequalities analysis, and the implementation of advanced health information systems. He leads initiatives that optimize healthcare delivery and patient outcomes through innovative data strategies.
Beyond his role at East Kent Hospitals, Dr. Farr is a sought-after speaker at international conferences and a trusted advisor to governmental and private sector organizations. His influential research has been widely published, shaping both academic discourse and practical applications in healthcare analytics. Committed to education, Dr. Farr serves as an adjunct professor, nurturing the next generation of healthcare leaders in the fields of health informatics and data science.
Dr. Farr’s leadership and dedication continue to drive advancements in healthcare, ensuring data-driven insights are leveraged to their fullest potential for improving global health outcomes. In 2026 he was named as one of the top 100 most influential people in the NHS.
Neil Morgan
Chief Analytics Officer Midlands & Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (MLCSU)
An informatics and analytics leader with over 25 years’ experience across government, health, and research, I am passionate about professional development and the responsible use of data and technology to improve service planning, quality, and population outcomes.
I am currently Chief Analytics Officer at Midlands & Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (MLCSU), where I lead the strategic and operational design and delivery of business intelligence and analytical services for Integrated Care Boards. My role focuses on working collaboratively with clients, partners, and multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative, high-quality analytical solutions that support insight generation and evidence-based decision-making at system scale.
Alongside my executive role, I serve as Director for Advocacy and Strategy on the Board of the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts (AphA), championing the development, recognition, and professionalisation of the healthcare analytics workforce. I also maintain strong academic links through collaboration with the University of Manchester and contribute nationally as Deputy Chair of the Advisory Council for the National Health Data Observatory.
I am a Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS), an accredited FEDIP Leading Practitioner, and a Chartered Manager and Member of the Chartered Institute of Management (CMgr MCMI).
Lee Coulson
Data Science Manager South Western Ambulance Service
Lee currently leads a data science team at South Western Ambulance Service and has 20 years’ experience across healthcare and local government. Within the NHS, he has led analytical and data science teams across provider and commissioning organisations and is currently the AphA Branch Lead for the South West.
Rachel McIlroy
System Implementation Lead
NHS England
Rachel has almost twenty years of NHS experience including nine years with NHS England. Her background is in healthcare analytics, data management and visualisation for decision making, and population health management.
She is a proud member of AphA and the CDAO network as well as a Chartered Statistician of the Royal Statistical Society. She has been working in NHSEs National Population Health Management team since early 2022 and is passionate about supporting teams to develop their data infrastructure and intelligence functions as well as promoting analytical workforce professionalisation and development across all system partners.
Rachel combines her statistical expertise with a deep understanding of population need, enabling the development of tailored interventions that improve outcomes and enhance patient experiences. Understanding that successful system transformation requires a comprehensive approach including social determinants of health, she works across sectors to address the unique challenges faced by diverse populations, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions about resource allocation and long-term sustainability.
Alexander Royan
Director of Strategic Planning, Digital and Intelligence
NHS Norfolk and Suffolk ICB
Alexander Royan is Director of Strategic Planning, Digital & Intelligence at NHS Norfolk and Suffolk ICB and a Strategic Commissioning Advisor to NHS England. He leads work on healthcare strategy and strategic planning, alongside digital and intelligence, and specialises in strategic commissioning and healthcare intelligence. His expertise spans analytics, population health insight, health economics and evaluation, with a particular focus on turning intelligence into strategy and commissioning decisions that improve population health outcomes and make better use of NHS resources.
Jack Rodber
Associate Director of Finance
Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust
Jack Rodber is Associate Director of Finance at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, where he leads work on financial recovery, productivity and efficiency improvement.
Previously, Jack was Chief Analyst at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, leading a team of analysts, data scientists and BI specialists. His earlier career included senior NHS finance leadership roles and seven years in public sector advisory at Deloitte.
Jack is a chartered accountant (ICAEW) and a member of the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts (AphA). He has a particular interest in bringing together financial, operational, clinical and population data and insights to support better decisions and improved patient care.
Chris Mainey
Head of Data Science
PHI Analytics | NHS Birmingham, Black Country & Solihull ICB cluster
Chris leads a data science team at Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull ICB, with a focus on statistical modelling, population health data, simulation, and evaluation. He has led data science and analytical teams in NHS provider, commissioner and regulator organisations, and has experience in public health. Chris completed his PhD at UCL in 2020, focussed on analysing NHS incident reporting data with statistical and machine learning methods as well as natural language processing. He is an experienced trainer and teacher, and promotes coding and open-source methods. Chris is an active member of the NHS Open Analytics community and had built and maintains several R packages including FunnelPlotR & NHSRwaitinglist.
Jennifer Murray-Robertson
Head of Data Science
Director of Contracting & Performance
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
Jen is a senior NHS leader with a career spanning strategic commissioning, performance, business intelligence, contracting and procurement. She brings together analytical expertise and practical operational experience to help organisations understand performance, navigate complex decisions and deliver sustainable improvement. Having worked across both provider and commissioner organisations, Jen has led major contract negotiations, business planning, commissioning and system transformation, as well as performance recovery programmes. She is particularly passionate about using data and insight to inform service transformation, improve commercial decision-making and improve outcomes for patients.
Sarah Blundell
Head of Data Science
Head of Data Capability at National Grid
Sarah Blundell is Head of Data Capability at National Grid, where she leads the Data & AI Academy. With more than 22 years of experience in data, analytics and insight, Sarah has spent her career helping organisations harness the value of data to improve decision-making and outcomes. Prior to joining National Grid, she spent 21 years in the NHS, including serving as the National Lead for NHS Data and Analytics Development. Over the last five years, Sarah has focused on developing people and organisational capability, helping colleagues build the skills and confidence needed to thrive in an increasingly data and AI-driven world.University of Leeds.
Neil Pettinger
Health and Care Training Consultant
Neil Pettinger is a freelance information training consultant. He designs and delivers training courses in the use of healthcare performance data. He joined the NHS as a National Management Trainee and then spent 21 years working in a series of NHS information and planning roles in England and Scotland before becoming self-employed in 2008.
Jessica Pang
Head of Data Science
Advanced Improvement Analyst
Public Health Wales NHS Trust
Jess Pang is Principal Data Analyst at Velindre NHS Trust, supporting both Velindre Cancer Services and the Welsh Blood Service. She has worked in the NHS in Wales for 12 years, has been the deputy branch lead for AphA Wales for several years. Jess is passionate about using data to improve health and care service and is committed to collaboration, knowledge sharing, and developing the future analytical workforce across health and care. She is also an active member of several networks, including AphA Wales, NHS-R, the Operational Research Society, Q, and the Welsh Modelling Collaborative, and chairs the Advanced Analytics Capability Product Management Group.
Brian McWilliams
Performance Analytics Lead
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS)
Brian is the Performance Analytics Lead at the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS), where he has worked for 15 years. Collaborating closely with operational and transformation teams, he has developed performance frameworks across emergency and scheduled care, workforce and corporate services, revealing previously hidden insights and opportunities for improvement. He also played a key analytical role in introducing the Ambulance Response Programme in Northern Ireland and believes data and analytics will be central to the successful introduction of the Neighbourhood Model of Healthcare across the region.
Representing NIAS on the National Ambulance Informatics Group and National PTS Providers Forum, he also collaborates with academic and regional partners on research and data initiatives.
With a background in psychology, computing and statistics, he is currently studying AI Ethics and Governance, reflecting his interest in responsible innovation.
Brian believes no analytical method is inherently superior to another. From basic quality improvement to advanced machine learning, what matters is making data understandable, useful and capable of improving services. He is also passionate about developing the next generation of technical experts and leaders.
Matt Oakes
Performance AnalyticHead of Intelligence & Analyticss Lead
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Matt is Head of Intelligence & Analytics at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where he leads the organisation’s intelligence, analytics and business intelligence functions. He has led the Trust’s adoption of the NHS Federated Data Platform, including the development of local products and the use of Foundry as part of the Trust’s wider data and analytics ecosystem.
His work focuses on helping data and analytics have a greater operational and strategic impact, through modern data platforms, agile ways of working and stronger partnerships between analysts, clinicians and operational teams. He is a graduate of the NHS Digital Academy and a FEDIP Advanced Practitioner, and is particularly interested in how the NHS can move beyond traditional reporting and use analytics as a core capability for improvement, decision-making and transformation.
