The NHS Confederation is an independent membership organisation in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 that represents all types of providers and commissioners of National Health Service

National Health Service (England)

The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...

 (NHS) services in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It is the only body to speak for the whole of the NHS on the issues that matter to all those involved in healthcare. It also reflects the diversity of views held by those concerned with different parts of the healthcare system. It is also the only body that brings together the full range of organisations that make up the modern NHS to help improve the health of patients and the public.

Aims

The NHS Confederation works to:

• influence healthcare policy and provide a strong voice for healthcare leaders on issues of shared concern
• help its members and those working in healthcare to make sense of the whole health and social care system
• bring people together from across health and social care to tackle the issues that matter most to its members, patients and the public.

Support functions

The NHS Confederation also provides a number of industry-wide support functions for the NHS including:

• the NHS Employers organisation that works to represent trusts in England
  England
  England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
  
   on workforce issues
• the NHS European Office that promotes the priorities and interests of the NHS to European
  Europe
  Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
  
   Institutions and provides information and advice to NHS trusts on relevant European Union
  European Union
  The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
  
   developments
• the Service Delivery and Organisation Network and the Health Services Research Network that help NHS trusts to access and engage with health services research.

Aspects

Networks
The NHS Confederation also has a range of specialist networks that provide products and services tailored to meet the needs of the different parts of the healthcare system. These include:

• Ambulance Service Network
• Primary Care Trust Network
• Mental Health Network
• NHS Partners Network

Associate membership
It has Associate members who are commercial and third sector organisations involved in the delivery of healthcare and an Insight information service for academic and representative bodies with an interest in health and the healthcare sector.

Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland
The Welsh NHS Confederation and the Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care support members in their countries and there is a subscription service for NHS organisations in Scotland.

Officers

The Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation is Mike Farrar

Mike Farrar

Mike Farrar CBE is Chief Executive of the NHS ConfederationMike Farrar was previously a senior manager within the National Health Service of the United Kingdom and previous Senior Civil Servant....

, formerly chief executive of North West Strategic Health Authority,. The current chairman is Sir Keith Pearson.

Annual conference

The NHS Confederation holds an annual conference, attended primarily by senior leaders in NHS organisations.

The conference programme contains a mixture of high profile and influential speakers, thought provoking strand sessions, interactive workshops and a range of networking opportunities. In 2011 the conference will be held on 6 – 8 July in Manchester. Speakers include: Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley MP, Camila Batmanghelidjh, John M Neill CBE, Chief Executive of the NHS David Nicolson and NHS Confederation Director of policy Nigel Edwards. Bookings are now open. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunites www.nhsconfed.org/2011.

Publications

The NHS Confederation produces regular reports and consultations on key health care issues including the recent Health white paper. Other reports cover topics including commissioning, mental health, personnel health budgets and the NHS operating framework. It produces an annual guide to the NHS called the NHS Handbook

External links

• NHS Confederation website
• Annual conference website
• NHS Confederation events and seminars
• NHS Confederation reports
• NHS Employers
  • Leading workforce thinking 2011 NHS Employers annual conference & exhibition