Join us for the annual Wade Lecture, “Re-imagining Health in the 21st Century,” as we welcome Professor Ian Abbs, Chief Executive Officer of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and a national leader in digital healthcare innovation.
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Join us for the annual Wade Lecture, “Re-imagining Health in the 21st Century,” as we welcome Professor Ian Abbs, Chief Executive Officer of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and a national leader in digital healthcare innovation.
Despite the incredible advances in the 21st century we are now at an inflection point – current challenges facing health could lead to a deterioration in healthcare access and outcomes for the people that we serve. There is an opportunity now to embrace the moment of technological evolution to continue to deliver better, fairer, and faster healthcare for all.
This year’s lecture will explore how innovation and transformation, beyond traditional staffing and funding, are vital to creating sustainable healthcare systems. It will focus on tackling key challenges in funding, technology, and performance, paving the way for effective 21st-century solutions.
The evening will be hosted by Professor Diana Eccles, Dean of Medicine at the University of Southampton, and will include an audience Q&A session hosted by Professor Gopal Ramchurn, a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Southampton.
Whether you’re a healthcare professional, academic, student, or simply interested in the future of medicine, we invite you to join us for this thought-provoking and timely event.
Date: Wednesday 12 November 2025
Time: 18:00 – 19:00 (GMT) with in-person arrivals 17:30 – 18:00
Format: In-person and online
In-person Location: Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ
Tickets: Free, but registration required
Professor Ian Abbs – Guest Speaker
Professor Ian Abbs became the Chief Executive Officer of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in July 2019. He leads the largest NHS Trust in the English healthcare system, with a turnover of £2.9 billion, 23,600 members of staff, and 5 hospital campuses.
Professor Gopal Ramchurn – Q&A Host
Professor Gopal Ramchurn is a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Southampton, CEO of the UK’s Responsible AI programme, and latterly Director of the UKRI Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub. He is also co-founder and Co-CEO of Empati Ltd, where he leads innovations in responsible AI for energy systems and sustainability.