Sally Gainsbury

Senior Policy Analyst at Nuffield Trust

Sally Gainsbury is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Nuffield Trust, focusing on health and social care funding and NHS financing systems. She also contributes to the Trust's rapid response work on emerging policy issues.

Before joining the Trust, Sally was an investigative journalist at the Financial Times, covering public spending, tax, and financial governance, and previously Chief Reporter at Health Service Journal. She brings a unique blend of analytical insight and storytelling to illuminate how funding systems shape health and care delivery. Sally has a PhD in history and a masters in politics.

Penny Dash

Chair at NHS England

Dr Penny Dash has dedicated her career to improving the quality and efficiency of health and care services. A physician by background, she has held senior roles as Head of Strategy for the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care, and as Chair of the North West London Integrated Care Board.

Penny has extensive global experience in healthcare system reform, having led McKinsey’s healthcare practice across Europe. She recently authored two major government-commissioned reviews- on the Care Quality Commission and national patient safety oversight - providing clear recommendations to reduce bureaucracy and enhance learning. Penny is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a Fulbright Scholar, with an MBA from Stanford University.

Jess Morley

Health Data Academic at Yale Digital Ethics Center

Dr Jessica Morley is Associate Research Scientist and Associate Director of Research at Yale's Digital Ethics Center, and a long-standing contributor to the UK health and care analytics community. She co-authored the Goldacre Review, shaping UK policy on Trusted Research Environments, reproducibility, and open methods, and holds a PhD on deploying AI in the NHS.

Her research spans Governance-by-design, assurance, and evaluation of AI in health; reproducible, privacy-preserving analytics at national scale via OpenSAFELY; UK health data infrastructure design and transparency; clinical and public health analytics; and the operationalisation of high-level ethical principles. She is currently supporting Wellcome’s national scoping for the UK Health Data Research Service (HDRS), analysing digital infrastructure to inform architecture, interoperability standards, and public trust.

Matt Hennessey

Chief Intelligence and Analytics Officer at NHS Greater Manchester

Matt Hennessey is Chief Intelligence and Analytics Officer for NHS Greater Manchester. His career spans public health, intelligence, and leadership, beginning in criminal justice before moving into senior analytical and strategy roles across government and the NHS.

Matt has led regional and national programmes on drugs, alcohol, and violence prevention, and previously directed the North West intelligence service for Public Health England. He is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, with expertise in applying analytics to system transformation and population health improvement.

Steven Wyatt

Head of Research & Policy at Strategy Unit

Steven Wyatt is Head of Research and Policy at The Strategy Unit. He is an experienced analyst with deep knowledge of health policy and 20 years' experience leading analytical services across the NHS and social care.

Steven’s work combines logic, creativity, and practicality in applying analytical methods to strategic challenges. His recent research has explored inequalities in access to planned care, long-term trends in GP practice activity, and variations in productivity. Steven is widely recognised for his ability to bridge analytical rigour and policy relevance to support better decision-making in health and care.

Minal Bakhai

National Director Primary Care Transformation at NHS England

Dr Minal Bakhai is a practising GP and the Director for Primary Care and Community Transformation and Improvement at NHS England. She also serves as SRO for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme.

She is passionate about enabling system leadership and population health improvement, having established the National Primary Care Transformation Peer Ambassador Academy. Internationally, Minal advises governments on strengthening health systems and serves as the UK Representative for Innovation for the Department for Business and Trade. She was awarded an MBE in 2022 for services to general practice.

Samantha Riley

Director of Making Data Count at NHS England

Samantha has worked in the NHS for nearly 30 years, holding a wide range of improvement-focused roles across various areas of the health sector. Her experience includes leading a system-wide improvement programme in West London, taking on a national improvement role with the Modernisation Agency, spearheading the national rollout of the Friends and Family Test, and establishing the South East Coast Quality Observatory.

A passionate advocate for using data and information to drive improvements in patient care, Samantha proudly describes herself as an "information junkie." She champions the use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts over traditional two-point comparisons and Red-Amber-Green (RAG) reporting. As the author of the highly regarded Making Data Count guides, she has spent the past seven years working with over 240 NHS Trust boards, helping them to better understand and apply data for more effective decision-making.

Alastair McAlpine

Chief Statistician at The Scottish Government

Ally McAlpine is the Scottish Government's Chief Statistician. He has overall responsibility for the coordination and implementation of professional standards that help maintain trustworthiness in the use of data, its quality, and that deliver improved outcomes for people in Scotland.

Ally led the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, which is the Scottish Government’s official tool for identifying deprived areas across Scotland, which won many awards in 2017 for its innovative ways in connecting these statistics to communities and improved its use in the general public.

Ally is also co-director of ADR Scotland and a member of the ADR UK Leadership Committee, which aims to use data that is collected for better research and improve people’s lives through supporting Government to make the right decisions.