Operating Theatres Show 2025
The future of surgery in the UK
The Operating Theatres Show 2025 is taking place at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Thursday, 11 September 2025. CSJ provides an overview of the hot topics being explored at the event.
As the NHS continues to grapple with one of the most complex and persistent challenges in its history, elective surgery backlogs, the need for innovative, sustainable, and scalable solutions has never been more urgent. The annual Operating Theatres Show returns to Etihad Stadium in Manchester, this September, offering a national platform for clinical, operational, and strategic leaders to converge and explore the evolving future of surgical services across the UK. Hosted by the Institute of Government &
Public Policy (IGPP), this one-day conference will bring together hundreds of professionals working in theatres, anaesthetics, perioperative care, and elective service transformation. The show provides a vital opportunity to discuss the latest innovations in theatre productivity, workforce development, surgical sustainability, and training. In partnership with the Clinical Services Journal, an exclusive free ticket code, OTS-CSJ, has been made available to CSJ readers. This grants full access to the conference, including all sessions, panels, networking opportunities, and the exhibition area.
Reimagining surgical services in 2025 At the core of this year’s show is a simple, powerful question: How can the NHS transform surgical services to meet patient demand, boost productivity, and build a sustainable future?
Millions of patients are still waiting for routine operations, putting enormous pressure on perioperative teams, management systems, and the broader health and care landscape. In alignment with the NHS Delivery Plan for
Recovery and Reform, the 2025 conference will showcase how surgical services can adapt to this challenge by integrating patient-centred approaches, embracing modern digital infrastructure, strengthening leadership, and embedding sustainable practices in day-to-day operations. Whether you’re delivering care on the frontlines or shaping policy at a strategic level, this conference provides practical knowledge, tools, and connections to support transformation across every aspect of theatre services.
What to expect: key sessions and themes Elective Surgery Reform: Professor Peter Kay, National Clinical Director for Musculoskeletal Services at NHS England, will lead a high-level panel alongside Michelle Russell and Rachel O’Donnell, Consultant Gynaecologists at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, focusing on collaborative system-wide approaches to reduce waiting times and enhance patient access. Maximising Theatre Capacity: Martin Watts, Managing Director of Clinical Services, Medacs
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Healthcare, will assess the economics of weekend elective work and insourcing, offering cost-effective strategies to increase theatre utilisation and protect core operating sessions. Theatre Culture and Team Dynamics: Craig Griffiths, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for Operating Department Practice at the University of South Wales, will explore the vital roles of teamwork, hierarchy, and mutual respect in ensuring safe and efficient surgical care. Championing the ODP Workforce: Mike Donnellon, President of the College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP), will discuss the expanding roles for ODPs across perioperative and critical care, emphasising leadership development and workforce transformation. Sustainable Surgery in Practice: Angela
Hayes, Nurse Fellow and Project Lead at The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, and Professor Cliff Shelton, Professor of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at Lancaster University, will outline practical strategies for implementing the Green Theatre Checklist, including energy efficiency, waste reduction, and cross-team collaboration for sustainable improvement. Surgical Training Access: Raiyyan Aftab,
President of the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT), will highlight barriers to theatre access for trainees and examine the wider
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