Plenary Speakers 2026
We look forward to welcoming our plenary speakers to the CHA National Conference 2026. Each brings valuable experience from across community health and care, and will offer helpful insight into the contribution community hospitals make to their local systems.
Their sessions will explore how community hospitals support person centred care, strengthen neighbourhood teams and play an important part in delivering the aims set out in the NHS 10 Year Plan. They will also highlight the value of partnership working, local leadership and the practical innovations that help services meet the needs of their communities. Further details, including confirmed titles, will be added once finalised.
Book your place today - CHA National Conference 2026 Registration Form
Dr Mary Miller
Consultant in Palliative Medicine; Director, OxCERPC; Clinical Lead, NACEL
Plenary title: What does the national audit tell us about care of the dying in community hospitals?
Background: Community hospitals audit the care they provide to dying patients. They contribute approximately 10% of all data collected about the care of those dying in hospitals in England, Wales and Jersey. I will discuss how care compares with care delivered in acute and mental health hospitals.
Dr Mary Miller FRCP is a Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Director of the Oxford Centre for Education and Research in Palliative Care (OxCERPC), and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in Palliative Medicine at the University of Oxford. She is the Clinical Lead for the National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL), delivered through NHS Benchmarking. Mary trained in medicine at University College Cork and has worked in palliative medicine in Ireland, Sweden and the UK. Alongside her clinical practice, she has a long standing commitment to education and professional development, with a focus on supporting high quality end of life care.
Listen to a recent podcast about NACEL here
Ellen Rule
Chief Executive, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care
Ellen Rule joined Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust as Chief Executive in May 2025. She brings significant system leadership experience from her previous role as Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Strategy and Transformation in Gloucestershire.
Ellen has a strong track record of collaborative working across health, care and the voluntary and community sector. Her work has focused on service improvement and redesign alongside clinicians, professionals and patients, with a consistent emphasis on prevention, integrated person centred care and supporting people to maintain independence.
Plenary talk details to follow.
Julie Sharma
Recent Chief Executive, Sirona care & health CIC
Julie Sharma is a senior health and care leader with over 45 years’ experience in the NHS and community services. She has most recently served as Interim Chief Executive of Sirona care & health, where her leadership supported the organisation through a period of transformation and delivery of integrated adult and children’s community services. Julie has a deep commitment to person centred care and improving outcomes for people, families and colleagues across health and social care contexts.
Plenary talk details to follow.
Professor Anne Hendry
Director, IFICs Hub in Scotland; Honorary Professor, University of the West of Scotland
Plenary title: Community Hospitals: making integrated care a reality across the globe
Anne is a Senior Associate with the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), the Director of IFICs Country Hub in Scotland and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Integrated Care. From 2007 to 2016 she held national clinical lead roles in Scotland for policy and improvement programmes on:
• Long Term Conditions
• Healthcare Quality
• Reshaping Care for Older People
• Integrated health and social care.
This experience developed her passion for cross sector collaboration and skills in implementing and evaluating transformational change in diverse health and care systems. A geriatrician and stroke physician she was honorary secretary of the British Geriatrics Society, holds honorary academic posts with the University of the West of Scotland and NHS Lanarkshire, and is a trustee director of Kilbryde Hospice and Compassionate Inverclyde.
Read about Anne's role and work at IFIC Scotland Hub here
