Agenda for the day
09:00 – 09:10
Welcome
Welcome Introduction
Join Caroline and Joe for a warm welcome, a look at the day ahead, and a chance to connect with NHS colleagues.
Caroline Dove
CEO, NHS Elect
Joe Blunden
Joint Managing Director - Corporate, NHS Elect
09:10 – 9:25
Body language for confidence
Confidence Body language
Stand tall and start the day with a confidence boost. This quick energiser explores the impact of body language and puts power posing into practice.
![Headshot of Leanne Saddler](https://www.nhselect.nhs.uk/uploads/files/1/Team/Leanne-Sadler.jpg?w=546&h=440&mode=crop?w=546&h=440&mode=crop")
Leanne Saddler
Director, NHS Elect
09:25 – 10:25
Imposter syndrome and building confidence in yourself
Confidence Imposter syndrome
Learn how to recognise imposter syndrome, challenge your inner critic and stop letting self-doubt hold you back. Award-winning confidence coach, TEDx speaker and author Tiwa Adebayo will share practical ways to help you speak up, take action and trust your own judgement. Through her movement, Confident and Killing It, Tiwa has empowered more than 10,000 people worldwide and worked with organisations including Google, Meta, Spotify and UN Women UK.
Tiwa Adebayo
Founder, Confident & Killing It
Leanne Saddler
Director, NHS Elect
10:25 – 11:00
Confidence comes from doing: Building your career one step at a time
Confidence Career
You don’t need to feel completely confident before taking your next career step. Explore how everyday actions, from recognising your achievements to asking for feedback and trying something new, can help you build confidence and move your career forward.
Rob Wright
Associate Director, NHS Elect
11:00 – 11:15
Break
11:15 – 12:15
Busy, capable and invisible (and what to do about it)
Confidence Leadership
Why do hardworking, capable people sometimes go unseen in complex NHS organisations? In this practical session, leadership coach and former NHS Director of Communications Louise Thompson explores how to raise your visibility, influence and confidence without simply taking on more.
Louise brings more than 20 years’ experience across the NHS, public services and Silicon Valley start-ups. She has worked at board level in the NHS, advised the Chief Nursing Officer for England on national campaigns and large-scale change, and now works globally with senior communications professionals to help them increase their impact as organisational leaders.
This session is not about doing more. It is about being seen.
Louise Thompson
Leadership coach and former Director of Communications
12:15 – 12:45
Lunch
12:45 – 13:45
Please don't be dull
Confidence Influence
You may have the best idea on earth, but if you are not sharing it in a way that grabs people’s attention and makes them care, you may as well go home.
This session is all about how you engage, influence and get people saying five very useful words: “That’s interesting. Tell me more.” If you are not hearing those magical words, out loud, in an email or quietly forming in someone else’s brain, something is missing. In this session, we fix that.
BAFTA-winning TV producer Maz Farrelly has spent 30 years creating some of the world’s biggest shows, including Big Brother, The X Factor, The Celebrity Apprentice and The Weakest Link. Having worked with everyone from King Charles and Beyoncé to Richard Branson and Mel B, Maz will share practical ways to command attention, cut through the noise and get people listening.
Maz Farrelly
Award-winning TV and film producer, Maz Speaks
13:45 – 14:15
Just say no: Setting boundaries with confidence
Confidence Resilience
Why can saying no feel so difficult, even when you know you need to? Explore simple, practical ways to set boundaries clearly and confidently, handle uncomfortable conversations and protect your time without overexplaining. You’ll leave with an easy framework you can use straight away.
Robin Davis
Joint Managing Director - Corporate, NHS Elect
Jim Timpson
Joint Managing Director Membership, NHS Elect
14:15 – 14:30
Break
14:30 – 15:00
Speaking with confidence
Confidence Speaking up
Having the confidence to walk into any room and speak up is a skill, whether it is a team meeting, a boardroom or a job interview. Explore what can hold you back and pick up practical ways to manage nerves, find your voice and get your message across clearly.
Anna Thame
Senior Associate, NHS Elect
15:00 – 16:00
To be announced soon!
FAQs
Do I only need to book once for the whole event?
Yes - you only need to book once, and you can use the same MS Teams link to join any session throughout the day.
I can't attend the whole day, is that ok?
Feel free to join for any sessions that interest you, or that your diary allows. You don't have to join for the whole day.
Do I need to be an NHS Elect member to join?
No, this free virtual event is open to all health and care staff. You're also welcome to join if you've recently left an NHS job. Simply choose 'guest checkout' above to book your place.
Lead facilitators
Caroline Dove
Caroline has been CEO of NHS Elect since 2003, building a team of amazing people to provide high quality, in-house support to healthcare organisations across the country, and developing leaders to enable them to deliver improved services. Caroline joined the NHS on the National Management Training Scheme and has spent her entire career working as a leader in the NHS. She worked mainly in acute hospitals in operational and strategic management, including as an Executive Director at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Caroline has a passion for supporting NHS staff in delivering better care for our patients. In the 1990s she led the operational development of the UK's first treatment centre and has supported leaders for over 20 years in learning, developing and mentoring.
Joe Blunden
Joe is a multi-award winning marketing and communications specialist with over 15 years of experience across a range of industries. He has worked for the NHS for the past 10 years, including marketing, communications and engagement roles in both acute and community settings.
He is a compulsive learner and recently completed an MBA (Distinction), having gained a Professional Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a Diploma in Managing Digital Media and a degree in business.
Joe directed the successful campaign to get the NHS Choir to Christmas number one in 2015, raising over £300k for charity in the process. He also led NHS Voices in 2018, bringing together 30 celebrity singers to record a song for the NHS, which was made into a documentary by ITV.
Joe specialises in strategy development and digital communication and has extensive experience in PR, stakeholder engagement and campaign development.
What participants say
10,000+
NHS staff signed up for our free conferences last year
"“All of the sessions were just fantastic. I planned to just dip in and out across the day but was glued to my screen. I have done this on a day off and it has felt like a day of nourishment and inspiration”
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