System C’s UserCon, our annual customer conference, returned to the ICC in Birmingham on 22nd May, bringing together 733 attendees for our biggest event to date.

Professionals from across healthcare, social care, education, and local government came together to share ideas, discuss common challenges, and explore how digital innovation is reshaping public services.

Throughout the day, conversations reflected a sector undergoing significant change. Delegates explored the growing role of AI in healthcare, alongside major policy developments, including Families First and local government reform.

Compared to previous years, discussions focused more on real-world applications. From AI-driven tools to more connected ways of working, the event highlighted how organisations now embed innovation into everyday practice to deliver more efficient, joined-up services.

Connecting Futures Across Public Services

This year’s theme, Connecting Futures, shaped the entire event, focusing on how stronger connections can drive progress across health, social care, education and local government.

Smiling System C staff registering customers to UserCon 2026.

The theme was brought to life by connecting people, creating opportunities for peers and leaders to share experiences and learn from each other. By connecting innovation with a clear focus on how AI solutions, data analytics and cloud technologies now shape real-world delivery. Finally, by connecting vision to reality, giving delegates insight into our product direction and how innovation translates into practical tools.

Attendees also had access to a range of product demos across health, social care, and education, alongside interactive games during session breaks, allowing them to explore our solutions in a more relaxed and hands-on environment. Highlights included our famous Badger Claw Machine, Connect 4, and the debut of our Strike a Light game, all of which helped spark conversations, encourage friendly competition, and create a lively atmosphere throughout the event.

First Annual System C Awards Recognise Sector Innovation

UserCon 2026 also introduced the first-ever System C Awards, recognising the innovation, dedication, and impact of customers and partners across the sector.

Fatima Whitbread MBE and Nick Wilson at UserCon 2026.

System C’s CEO Nick Wilson hosted the awards alongside Olympic medallist Fatima Whitbread MBE, celebrating organisations delivering meaningful change across public services.

Excellence in Social Care and Education Award

The Excellence in Social Care and Education award went to Suffolk County Council’s AI Project Team, led by Jamie Stewart, for using AI-enabled FormFlow to transform documentation. The team reduced admin time by up to 75 per cent, improved quality, and enabled practitioners to focus on the people they support.

Excellence in Healthcare Award

The Excellence in Healthcare award went to Kat Kersey and Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, whose digital-first maternity vaccination initiative delivered over 1,500 vaccinations, tripling uptake and improving protection for mothers and newborns.

One Team Award

The One Team award went to Fiona Mills and the team at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust for implementing CareFlow Medicines Management and Clinical Narrative at scale. The programme supports over 3,700 users and has generated more than 14,000 digital discharge summaries, improving safety, efficiency and continuity of care.

Fatima Whitbread Inspires Resilience and Leadership

Fatima Whitbread MBE delivered one of the most memorable sessions of the day, sharing her personal story.

She spoke about perseverance, inner strength, and mindset, showing how people can turn challenges into opportunities. Her message resonated strongly with attendees and provided a powerful human perspective alongside the day’s discussions.

An image of Fatima Whitbread MBE presenting.

Deploying Our 12-Month AI Strategy Across Health and Social Care

At UserCon 2026, we unveiled our 12-month AI strategy, setting out a practical roadmap for delivering measurable value across health and social care.

The strategy follows three core principles: AI with purpose, ethical by design, and human first. These principles ensure that AI supports professional judgement, remains transparent, and delivers safe, reliable outcomes.

The programme focuses on embedding AI directly into core systems so organisations can scale adoption, reduce administrative burden, and improve productivity.

Looking Ahead to UserCon 2027

UserCon 2026 demonstrates how organisations across health, social care, education and local government are embedding AI, adapting to policy change, and working more closely together to deliver better outcomes.

A birdseye view of Hall 3 at System C UserCon 2026.

UserCon 2027 will take place on Tuesday, 18th May, back at the ICC in Birmingham. Planning is already underway, and we look forward to building on this year’s momentum. Next year, we hope to bring together even more of our customers, partners and peers to continue shaping the future of public services.

We hope to see you there!

Next Steps

If you would like to see more exciting events held throughout the year, view our varied webinars and events programme.

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If you have any questions or would like to speak to one of our friendly experts, please contact us right away.