Running alongside the 50th Anniversary Conference will be a series of satellite sessions, focus groups and fringe events. These will allow delegates to concentrate in more depth on the issues being debated, both on and off the conference floor.

Thinkers of national and international renown have been secured to speak and fringe events have been arranged by a wide range of organisations. The Management Consortium of the RCN will stage various workshop sessions on Wednesday 1 July 4.00 - 5.30.

Delegates are asked to book tickets for either one Satellite or one Focus session on Day Two Thursday 2 July 11.45 - 1.15 and, if relevant, for the RCN sessions on 1 July. Fringe events on Wednesday and Thursday lunchtimes are to be open to delegates on a first-come, first-served basis. We have listed the telephone numbers for organisations running fringe events so that delegates can obtain more information and indicate their desire to attend.

All sessions will take place in rooms located within the Earls Court complex or in the Paragon Hotel only a short walk away. Attendance will be by ticket only.

Satellite Sessions - Thursday 2 July 1998
11.45 a.m. to 1.15 p.m.

Health services are public services and it is essential that consumers or potential consumers have a pivotal role in their planning and monitoring. What needs to be done to ensure that this happens, and what is already afoot?

In The Chair

• Sue MacGregor, BBC Radio 4's Today Programme

Speakers

• Judy Wilson, Director, Long-Term Medical Conditions Alliance

• Marian Barnes, Senior Lecturer, Health Services Management Centre

• Toby Harris, Director, Association of CHCs in England & Wales

The progress of medical and technological research is fast and furious. Health services must both lead and keep abreast of developments. Where is the future taking us and how can we cope?

In The Chair

• Judith Hann, Former presenter BBC's Tomorrow's World

Speakers

• Prof. John Burns, Head of Department Human Genetics, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

• Prof. Peter Wells, Department Medical Physics & Bioengineering, Bristol General Hospital

• Ruth Evans, Director, National Consumer Council

In order that improvements in the health of the nation and health and social care are evident, a wide range of partnerships is essential. Health Action Zones, the UK's experiment in cross-sector working are one model but what other groupings are necessary and what is the partnership picture?

In The Chair

• Geoff Watts, Former presenter BBC Radio 4's Medicine Now

Speakers

• Sylvie Pierce, Chief Executive, London Borough of Tower Hamlets

• Robert Sloane, Chief Executive, Andover NHS Trust

• Neil Lockwood, Chief Executive, Sandwell Health Authority

• Raymond Pope, Managing Director, Trident Contract Services Ltd

Health services depend more than most organisations on the quality of their staff. In order to be fit for the next millennium we need a well motivated, well trained, flexible workforce working to modern patterns of employment. Where are we now and where do we need to be in order to deliver the modernisation agenda?

In The Chair

• Trevor Phillips, ITN Presenter

Speakers

• Andrew Foster, Chairman, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust

• Gerry Marr, Director of Human Resources NHS Scotland

• Elisabeth Al Khalifa, Head of Equal Opportunities, NHS Executive

• Bob Abberley, UNISON

How much will a needs driven, top quality, modernised health service cost, can we afford it and where is the money going to come from?

In The Chair

• Ray Robinson, Professor, Health Policy Studies, University of Southampton

Speakers

• Andrew Dilmott, Director, Institute of Fiscal Studies

• Andrew Foster, Director, Audit Commission

• Dr Tim Evans, Executive Director, Independent Healthcare Association

A major challenge for the modern health service is to tackle the massive difference in health between the rich and poor, black and white populations. What is the picture and how can we change it?

In The Chair

• Professor David J Hunter, Professor of Health Policy & Management, Nuffield Institute for Health

Speakers

• Prof. Julian Le Grand, London School of Economics

• Schmuel Penchas Hadassah, Medical Organisation, Israel

• Prof. Michael Chan, Former Director NHS Executive Ethnic Health Unit

In the UK, the Labour Government is introducing massive changes in the way the NHS is run, with primary care groups and new roles for health authorities and trusts. What are the prospects and what is the picture internationally?

In The Chair

• Chris Ham, Professor, Director of Health Service Management Centre

Speakers

• Dr W J de Gooijer, Netherlands

• Prof. Pereira Grey, President, Royal College of GPs

• Gill Morgan, Chief Executive, North & East Devon HA

• Mandy Wearne, Director of Healthcare Development, Manchester H.A.

Scotland and Wales are soon to have their own arrangements for managing health services, Northern Ireland enjoys a very different structure from the rest of the nation. What does this mean for the different nations which make up the UK and how do we maintain a "national" health service amidst these changes?

In The Chair

• Wendy Austin, Presenter BBC Radio's Woman's Hour Northern Ireland

Speakers

• Sir Graham Hart, Former Permanent Secretary for Health

• Peter Gregory, NHS Wales

• Paul Simpson, Executive Northern Ireland Health & Social Services

How will the NHS exploit the potential of developments in communications and information technology to provide a better service? This is a strong theme of The New NHS White Paper and innovations such as the NHS Direct pilots, the increasing use of web-sites, the development of NHSnet, the new NHS Information strategy, and the growing interest in telecare and telemedicine will all be explored within this session.

In The Chair

• Alasdair Liddell, Director of Planning, NHS Executive

Speakers

• Frank Burns, Director, Information Management Group, NHS Executive

• David Hill, Chief Executive, Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust