Primary Health Care Specialist Group 44th Annual Conference, Education Day and AGM 2025

FREE education day: Thursday 13 November 2025

AI is no longer on the horizon—it’s here

From ambient voice technology to decision support tools, artificial intelligence is reshaping clinical practice at an unprecedented pace.
This year’s Education Day will explore the emerging regulatory landscape and guidance surrounding the use of AI scribes. We'll examine how these tools are influencing medical consultations and shaping clinical records, while also tackling the growing complexity of decision support systems.

By the end of the session, attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how to evaluate AI scribe technologies and make informed, clinically safe choices.

Our FREE education day is aimed at the digital transformation leads and those working in and with general practice with an interest in IT and informatics.  Network with other practices, meet new people and learn about how others in primary care are tackling IT and informatics issues.

Time	Topic	Speaker
08:30	Registration and coffee/tea
09:20	Welcome and opening remarks	Dr Ian Thompson, Chair of PHCSG Committee
09:30	Minority Report - the art, science and ethics of AI in primary care	Dr Paul Joshi, Clinical Director, Mercian PCN. Member NICE GP Reference Panel and NICE Adoption and Impact Panel
10:10	Supporting general practice in the use of ambient voice technology (AI Scribes)	Dr Marinos Ioannides, Head of Software & AI, MHRA
10:50	Coffee/tea break and networking
11:20	Guidance on using AI tools in primary care including ambient scribes in general practice and focusing on assurance and safe deployment	Dr Damian Williams GP and Clinical Lead/ CSO, NHS England and Dr Neill Jones, Clinical Lead for the GP systems NHS England
11:50	AI and the digital revolution; a view from the profession	Dr Tom Nichols GP and Vice Chair of RCGP Health Informatics Group
12:30	Lunch and networking
13:20	Report on Medical Informatics Europe from BCS PHCSG Julian Costello Travel Award Winner 2025	Dr Yemisi Ibiteye, GP Registrar, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. BCS PHCSG Julian Costello Award Winner 2025
13:35	Presentations for the Hildegard Franke Early Career Award from 2 finalists
14:10	Improving prescribing safety with decision support	Dr Scott Jamieson, GP and Angus HSCP Associate Medical Director
14:50	Uses & Abuses of Terminology Data in Primary Care	Dr Dai Evans GP, Lead Clinical Advisor PRIMIS, University of Nottingham
15:30	Closing remarks	Dr Ian Thompson, Chair of PHCSG Committee

The BCS PHCSG have been running these free education days aimed at those in general practice and / or support general practice to discuss the digital issues of the day for several years. If you are interested in technology and or IT, are a seasoned professional, a new digital transformation lead or just interested, come along to meet us. Please register now as tickets are limited.
Dinner and overnight accommodation is available for the night before the Education Day please select this on booking your ticket.

Don’t forget our prizes: We have two prizes available, the Hildi Franke for those at the beginning of their informatics career and the John Perry Prize for excellence in primary care informatics. Visit the BCS PHCSG Prize and awards page to apply now. Don’t be shy!

Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the PHCSG

Thursday 13^th November 2025, 16:30

The AGM of the BCS Primary Health Care Specialist Group (PHCSG) is for members to reflect on the previous year’s activity and BCS members to elect new committee members. Nomination forms will be available for posts up for election / re-election.

Conference dinner and drinks reception

Thursday 13th November 2025, 19:30

The main conference starts on Thursday 13th November at 19:30 with a drinks reception, followed by a formal dinner to allow networking. The Hildegard Franke Award for early career informaticians and John Perry Prize for excellence in primary care informatics will be awarded during dinner.

Of course, you are very welcome to simply attend conference as a day delegate on Friday 14th November. Simply select the correct ticket from the drop-down menu.

Conference day: Friday 14 November 2025

Digital Primary Care: New Dawn or Groundhog Day?

The Single Patient Record and AI are often hailed as transformative solutions for the NHS—but are we on the brink of true innovation, or circling familiar ground?

We will discuss the vision for the Single Patient Record, alongside a frank exploration of the real-world challenges in achieving seamless interoperability. Is it truly “done and dusted”? We’ll ask—and answer—that question. Graeme King will talk about The Challenges of introducing a Single Patient record in the UK and Kenya based on his experience with the Great North Care Record and elsewhere.

On the AI front, the promise is vast. We’re thrilled to welcome two keynote speakers: Jess Morley of Yale University, who will explore “Getting AI Right in the NHS”, and Dr Emma Ladds from Oxford, who will examine how we can strip away digital noise and return the clinician’s focus to the consultation itself.

If you are interested in digital health/informatics and would like to consider how it might impact general practice, PCNs and position general practice well in your ICS, this is the conference for you. Attendees include health and clinical informaticians, GPs and other clinicians working in primary care, researchers, academics, students, practice managers, other primary care staff, suppliers to primary care, NHS staff including NHS England and other health bodies.

Conference is intimate and works under Chatham House rule so that we can have open conversations in a safe environment.