In this insight, Leo Lewis reflects on ICIC26 in Birmingham, exploring how the conference setting, plenary discussions and digital health sessions highlighted connection, collaboration and the evolving role of technology in integrated care.
The 26th International Conference on Integrated Care (ICIC26) brought more than ideas to Birmingham this April; it brought a sense of momentum. Set against the backdrop of the ICC’s world-class conference venue and the city’s famous canalside, the event felt like a meeting point between heritage, innovation and the future of integrated care.
A venue designed for collaboration
The International Convention Centre (ICC) proved an exceptional setting for ICIC26. Its expansive halls, intuitive layout and bright, open networking spaces created the ideal environment for meaningful exchange — conversations seemed to flow as naturally as the canal just outside. Delegates moved with ease between plenary sessions, poster displays, breakout rooms and the silent interactive zones within the exhibition hall, where refreshments were also available. The entire space became a living lab of the conference theme: Integrated Care for All: Promoting Health and Wellbeing Through Diversity.
Stepping outside, the Birmingham canalside offered a welcome pause between sessions. With its mix of cafés, restaurants, bridges and historic waterways, it seemed to become an unofficial extension of the conference: a place where researchers, practitioners and policymakers continued discussions over coffee, a quick stroll or evening dinner.
Plenary sessions that set the tone
The plenary sessions at ICIC26 set an ambitious and energising tone from the very first moment. The opening ceremony burst into life with a three-piece samba band, filling the ICC with rhythm, colour and a sense of collective excitement. It was a joyful, unexpected start: a reminder that integrated care is ultimately about people, culture and connection. The music created a shared pulse that carried delegates into the formal programme with a sense of openness and anticipation.
In her opening address, Professor Áine Carroll built on that energy with a striking reference to NASA’s successful Artemis mission. She used the metaphor to challenge the integrated care community to embrace the same spirit of exploration: to push beyond legacy boundaries, to imagine new frontiers of collaboration and to design systems that genuinely reflect the diversity of the populations they serve. It was a call to think boldly and act with purpose, echoing the ambition of the Artemis programme itself.
This sense of momentum carried into the first major plenary, “The Next Generation of Integrated Care: What England’s Journey Has Taught Us.” Health and care leaders from Spain, Ireland, Wales and England reflected on England’s evolving integrated care landscape and what it signals for the next two decades. Their discussion surfaced the hard-won lessons of governance, community voice and system stewardship that they and their organisations had experienced and highlighted the opportunities ahead if countries can align national strategy with local innovation.
Across the plenaries, a clear message emerged: integrated care is entering a new era. Demographic change, digital transformation and rising expectations are reshaping what people need and what systems must deliver. The sessions did not simply inform; they provoked. They invited delegates to rethink boundaries, reimagine roles and commit to the kind of long-term, mission-driven work that Professor Carroll evoked in her Artemis analogy, all set in motion by the vibrant samba rhythms that opened the day.
Digital health and artificial intelligence: breakout sessions with real energy and interaction
I had the privilege of chairing a number of digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) breakout sessions. The posters and presentations explored everything from digital access, health literacy and risk stratification to speculative AI-enabled support for older people, highlighting both the promise and the practical challenges of embedding technology in redesigned care pathways.
These sessions captured a clear shift: digital is no longer a parallel conversation or a “nice-to-have”. It is central to how integrated care will be delivered, measured and experienced. Delegates discussed:
- AI-driven risk stratification
- Digital tools for self-management
- Interoperability barriers
- Ethical and equity considerations
- The role of digital literacy in reducing health inequalities
The energy in these parallel sessions was unmistakable. This was not tech for tech’s sake. Participants recognised digital as a key enabler of successful integrated care, supporting better outcomes for people, strengthening communities and acting as a catalyst for health and care system transformation.
A conference that felt like a turning point
For me, ICIC26 was not just another gathering. It felt like a pivot moment: a point where integrated care, digital innovation and community-centred practice converged in a city built on connection, and whose canals were integral to the Industrial Revolution. In 2026, they framed a different kind of movement: one focused on health, equity and integrated systems that work for everyone.
If the conversations at the ICC are any indication, the next chapter of integrated care will be bold, diverse and deeply collaborative, and ready to respond to the evolving demands of the future.
Leo Lewis
Bevan Commission
Swansea University, Wales
Senior Associate
International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC)