The Healthcare Professionals Conference 2026 was born out of the collectivist mindset of senior Kerala nurses within BrisKA, driven by a passion for continuous improvement and a commitment to driving positive change among staff. Rather than asking what the system can do for individuals, the conference theme — Engage, Evolve & Excel — centred on empowering professionals to uplift themselves. With over 117 registrations, the Greenway Centre proved an ideal venue for a conference of this scale.
Conference Lead Anita Philip (Spine ACP, NBT) opened the event by thanking BrisKA President Jaimon George (Ward Manager, NBT) and Arts Secretary Liril Jacob (Cardiology AP, UHBW) for taking on this ambitious initiative which had the potential to unite local NHS and community providers in line with the national NHS 10-year plan.
The event was honoured by Chief Guest Prof. Steve Hams, Bristol NHS Group Chief Nursing & Improvement Officer, who offered five pledges demonstrating his commitment to supporting internationally educated nurses.
This was followed by a series of inspiring keynote presentations. Prof. Sanjoy Shah, Medical Director of North Bristol Trust, and Mary Lewis, CNAHO of Sirona Care & Health, delivered a combined session highlighting how frontline staff can be central to delivering the NHS long-term vision. This provided invaluable insight for nurses who are often occupied with ward-level responsibilities, offering a rare opportunity to understand the broader strategic landscape.
The Education Lead of UHBW, Dr. Gerard Kenny, surprised delegates by opening with “Namaskaram” and closing with a heartfelt “Nanni”. His talk examined Kerala’s educational culture and the values that shape, sustain, and distinguish Kerala-trained nurses.
Su Monk, Director of Nursing at Sirona Health, delivered a compelling message on staff wellbeing and the importance of caring for oneself within the pressures of healthcare work.
Before closing the employer perspective segment, Gifty Markey (Associate CNO & Joint Chair, CNO & CMO’s BAME Strategic Advisory Group, NHSE) reflected on her personal journey from Ghana to Assistant CNO at NBT and discussed the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion programmes she developed to support and protect staff.
There was ample opportunity throughout the morning for audience engagement and discussion.
After an enjoyable lunch provided as part of the conference, the Employee Perspective Programme commenced. It opened with a motivational plenary by Dr. Agimol Pradeep BEM (Senior Transplant Coordinator, King’s Hospital London), whose presentation centred on the themes of self, colleagues, and community.
Moderated by Siny Thankachan (Matron, NBT), the session featured talks from:
• Litty Thomas (Matron, UHBW) — on the importance of communication skills
• Ancy Thomas (Head of Operations, Kingston & Richmond) — on work ethics and soft skills
• Smitha Dony (Consultant Practitioner, Hampshire & Isle of Wight) — on recognising and preventing moral injury and burnout
A well-received interactive session on interview preparation followed, led by Simi George (Quality & Workforce Lead, Sirona) through a lively role-play scenario contrasting effective and ineffective interview styles.
To round off a productive day, delegates received over 35 sponsored raffle prizes, adding to the celebratory atmosphere.
BrisKA’s Healthcare Team made history by uniting the goodwill, expertise, and leadership of senior nurses in Bristol to deliver an exceptionally well-organised and inclusive event. Due to demand from non-Keralite nurses, the conference was opened more widely, which was warmly received by NHS corporate leaders. Events such as these demonstrate how the Malayalee community can support the NHS while earning mutual respect and fostering collaboration.
In addition to the core leads, the contributions of key organising members ensured the smooth and timely execution of the programme, including Santhosh Jacob (Home Manager), Roshni Nair (Ward Manager, BRI Endoscopy), Jeesha George (Hepatology Specialist Nurse), Jose Thomas (Senior Practitioner, South Glos Social Work Team) and Naijil Kurian (Social Worker, South Glos Social Work Team).
BrisKA General Secretary Tom Joseph, PRO Naisent Jacob, Treasurer George John, Sports Secretary Francis Ambrose, Executive Committee Member Jobichan George, Joint Treasurer Gigo Palatty, Adorna Jaimon (BrisKA Youth/Digital Support), and other Executive Committee members attended and supported the event. Light and sound were managed by Aby Thottiyil, enhancing the professional presentation of the conference.
A stem cell registry counter was also facilitated by UPHAAR, and the conference was partnered by speakers from the Alliance of Senior Kerala Nurses (ASKeN) UK.
Click here to see photos from the event.
