NHS Hack Day, the event dedicated to “geeks who love the NHS”, is returning this weekend in Cardiff, following a three-year absence. 

Hack Day, which was last held in January 2020, also in Cardiff, will run from May 20-21, and gathers clinicians, developers, patients and designers to create projects for improving the NHS. 

During the first day of the event, participants introduce and submit pitches and form groups to develop them. The second day concludes with presentations and prizes for the winning ideas. 

Successful submissions are expected to provide concrete solutions to the challenge of building an environment where world class NHS digital services flourish, according to the event website, although submissions do not need to be digital. 

Previous judging panels have included practising clinicians, working developers, real patients and policymakers. Organisers emphasize that the focus of the day is on incentivising innovation, rather than on generating usable “products” or on “winning”. 

Tickets for the event are available at nhshackday.com.