It’s been a busy first day in Manchester, with more than 1,500 delegates descending on Manchester Central to see what Confed19 has to offer. Here’s a taster of what they saw.

Responding to the Confed19 speech by NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens, Niall Dickson, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, welcomed Stevens’ push on capital funding, social care and public health.

It’s finally here. Confed19, the largest annual gathering of health and care leaders in the country, gets underway at Manchester Central Convention Complex this morning – and it is fair to say there is a lot going on.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, responds to Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s expected comments about social care at Confed19

Joan Saddler, Director of Partnerships and Equality at the NHS Confederation, has responded to criticism of the BME Leadership Network report Chairs and non-executives in the NHS: The need for diverse leadership.

Responding to NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens’ announcement about fast-tracking cancer drugs, to be delivered at today’s NHS Confederation annual conference, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said fast-tracking new drugs puts NHS at forefront of treating rare forms of cancer.

Welsh NHS Confederation response to the latest National Survey for Wales results which showed an increase in people satisfied with their standard of GP care

Confed19 starts tomorrow. Find out what’s happening across the two days and make the most of your time at Manchester Central.

Delivering the ambitious vision of improved care for patients set out in in the new NHS plan will be extremely challenging without urgent government action on wider health funding, warn the Health Foundation and NHS Confederation.

Welsh NHS Confederation response to the introduction of the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Bill

How should an organisation such as the NHS Confederation position itself given the current pressures on the service and in the current uncertain political times, asks Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation.

The NHS Improvement provider sector performance report for the period ending 31 March 2019 shows things are not all doom and gloom, but there is still much more to be done.

The latest NHS performance statistics show the NHS continues to come under huge pressure, with a concerning rise in the number of people delayed in hospitals, the NHS Confederation has said.

A report published today by the NHS Confederation outlines the views of new NHS chief executives on the changes in leadership approach and culture that they believe will be required if the NHS is to meet the ambitions of the Long Term Plan.

An inclusive and representative board has to be a prime component of confidence building, writes Ifti Majid

Can hospitals stop being monoliths of mystery and isolation and join wider urban life, asks Layla McCay

The leadership of the NHS is changing and could well look rather different in a few years’ time, writes Niall Dickson.

The NHS in Wales is committed to working more efficiently, prioritising spending and making savings where possible.

The NHS Interim People Plan (IPP) sets out the importance of the NHS engaging with councils in their local areas to help build economic prosperity, something NHS Confederation has also been advocating for some time, writes Richard Griffin of the North West London Health and Care Partnership.