Annual Wade Lecture 2025 with Professor Ian Abbs

Join us in-person or online for our Annual Wade Lecture, featuring Professor Ian Abbs, on his talk 'Re-imagining Health in the 21st Century'.

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Join us for the annual Wade Lecture, "Re-imagining Health in the 21st Century," as we welcome Professor Ian Abbs, Chief Executive Officer of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and a national leader in digital healthcare innovation.

Despite the incredible advances in the 21st century we are now at an inflection point - current challenges facing health could lead to a deterioration in healthcare access and outcomes for the people that we serve. There is an opportunity now to embrace the moment of technological evolution to continue to deliver better, fairer, and faster healthcare for all. 

This year’s lecture will explore how innovation and transformation, beyond traditional staffing and funding, are vital to creating sustainable healthcare systems. It will focus on tackling key challenges in funding, technology, and performance, paving the way for effective 21st-century solutions.

The evening will be hosted by Professor Diana Eccles, Dean of Medicine at the University of Southampton, and will include an audience Q&A session hosted by Professor Gopal Ramchurn, a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Southampton. 

Whether you’re a healthcare professional, academic, student, or simply interested in the future of medicine, we invite you to join us for this thought-provoking and timely event.

Date: Wednesday 12 November 2025
Time: 18:00 - 19:00 (GMT) with in-person arrivals 17:30 - 18:00
Format: In-person and online
In-person Location: Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ
Tickets: Free, but registration required

	Professor Ian Abbs – Guest Speaker Professor Ian Abbs became the Chief Executive Officer of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in July 2019. He leads the largest NHS Trust in the English healthcare system, with a turnover of £2.9 billion, 23,600 members of staff, and 5 hospital campuses.
	Professor Gopal Ramchurn – Q&A Host Professor Gopal Ramchurn is a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Southampton, CEO of the UK's Responsible AI programme, and latterly Director of the UKRI Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub. He is also co-founder and Co-CEO of Empati Ltd, where he leads innovations in responsible AI for energy systems and sustainability.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to Highfield Campus?
For all directions to Highfield Campus please click here.

Is car parking available?
Free parking is available in all University car parks after 5pm on weekdays and all day at weekends (For Sat Nav purposes only please use SO17 1PQ). We have an ANPR system in operation across the Highfield Campus - but this is not enforced after 5pm.

What is the dress code?
Smart/casual.

Can I bring a guest?
Yes. If you would like to bring a guest please select two tickets and complete their details on the registration page. 

What should I do if I can no longer attend?
Please let the University of Southampton Events team know via email to events@soton.ac.uk

Will seating be provided?
Yes, the talks will have seating for all guests. 

Is there a photographer/videographer at the event?
Yes, this event will be live-streamed and recorded. Any footage and images captured may be used for promotional, educational, and marketing purposes by the University of Southampton. By attending this event, you acknowledge that you may appear in the recorded material. If you do not wish to be filmed or photographed, please speak to a member of the event team upon arrival.

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For the purposes of this event, we will be producing a full delegate list to include your name and company name. If you would prefer not to be included in this list please email: events@soton.ac.uk once you have registered.

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