LHP joined the NHSA for a fantastic opportunity to broker meetings with international companies.

By Dr Ben Martyn, Executive Lead for Investment and International Partnership at the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) and Dr Seamus O’Neill, Managing Director, Liverpool Health Partners

Last week at HLTH Europe, The NHSA and Liverpool Health Partners, the academic health science system for Liverpool city region, joined forces to showcase the research and innovation offer available in Liverpool, how it integrates into the wider Northern offer, and to find solutions to healthcare problems in the NHS.

LHP joined the NHSA for a fantastic opportunity to broker meetings with international companies looking to undertake R&I and strategic partnership building with key hospitals and Life Sciences Institutions.

Dr Seamus O’Neill, Managing Director at Liverpool Health partners, said: “Team Liverpool have been represented at HLTH in strength and have done a fantastic job. They have identified contacts and potential contracts for transformative innovations that could be transformative within the NHS in the city and also partnerships for research and evaluation in Universities across Liverpool. Together and in partnership with our Combined Authority colleagues there’s a real sense of a city that is innovation hungry and it’s been great to showcase this worldwide at HLTH.

“We don’t often get a chance to work together in this way. We are Team Liverpool and we are speaking to a European audience with one voice about the city and work we are so proud of. So it’s been a great opportunity to bring together colleagues from across our partners in Amsterdam. HLTH has been a fantastic event to showcase what Liverpool has to offer. It has also provided countless networking opportunities to source potential innovations that could transform the health of communities across the region.”

Dr Ben Martyn, Executive Lead for Investment and International Partnership at the NHSA, reflected on the week: “It’s been an incredible time at HLTH Europe, and what’s clear is how important events like HLTH are to create space – space to step away from the day job, spend real quality time with colleagues, and be creative.

“It’s an often-mentioned cliche ‘I had to travel to Amsterdam just to speak to my colleague from down the hall’ but the travel was absolutely worth finding time to explore one another’s perspectives on the same challenges and opportunities.

“It’s been fantastic to see our LHP delegation use HLTH Europe not just as a place to find partnerships and opportunities, but for clinical and non-clinical, research and innovation staff across multiple organisations to come together and tackle some of the big ambitions: how to grow a world leading research and innovation system; how to

shape an innovative culture as ‘business as usual’; and how to streamline operations to deliver the best experience for businesses and deliver for patients.

“Critically, we want to continue the momentum and keep finding ways to create space for our NHSA members to tackle barriers and create opportunities collectively.

“Additionally it’s been amazing to see the North of England coming together under one banner. With the mayoral combined authorities, the research and innovation ecosystem, the support services and northern businesses together, I think we have really showed how our region can step up and come together to deliver as an interlinked innovation cluster.

“I sense bigger and better things at HLTH Europe 2026 – so watch this space! Many thanks to Henry, Millie and the HLTH team for delivering such an amazing event once again and thank you to all our colleagues across the NHSA and the North who knocked it out of the park.”

We have also had excellent feedback from the wider Liverpool team delegation about their time at HLTH; here’s just a few comments on what the experience was like for our ‘Liver Birds’:

Simon Bunting, Innovation Manager at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool, said: “Sometimes in innovation roles, it’s easy to get buried in systems and process. HLTH Europe reminded me why we do this — to push boundaries, connect ideas, and keep care moving forward. I’m coming back re-energised and ready to keep driving change.

“It was energising to hear global leaders wrestle with the same issues we face in the NHS — workforce, integration, equity. HLTH Europe gave me fresh perspective and solutions that are applicable to our own challenges at Clatterbridge.”

Vinoth Sankar, Critical Care Consultant at University Hospitals of Liverpool Group: “It has been hugely enjoyable watching our health innovation team meet with clinicians – seeing people interact and network is a real joy and something that can only be done properly in this space, and I can we can transform the partnerships made at HLTH into great value. Simply put, we wouldn’t come together this way in any other setting. Clinical settings are extremely high pressure, and staff aren’t in the mindset to address innovation needs. However here the clinicians and teams have freed up time to work together to innovate – a real pleasure to witness.”

Kayleigh Walker, Critical Care Nurse at University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, said: “Thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome! I have really enjoyed this experience, it has been a real eye opener to how things work behind the scenes – and I think I’ve grasped how to network!”