The Gathering 2026
Co-designed with members of the Citizens’ Assembly, The Gathering brought together people from across healthcare, academia, industry, local government, the third sector and the public to explore how collaboration and innovation can improve health and care.
10/06/2026
9:30 am
till 16.30
📅 10 June 2026
🏢 Apex City Quay Hotel, Dundee
🕑 9.30 – 16.30
On 10 June 2026, Tay Health Tech welcomed attendees from across healthcare, academia, industry, local government, the third sector and the public to The Gathering 2026 at the Apex City Quay Hotel, Dundee.
Co-designed with members of our Citizens’ Assembly, The Gathering built on the success of our 2025 Conference while introducing a more interactive and collaborative format. The event created opportunities to connect with innovators, explore emerging health technologies, share experiences and discuss how innovation can improve health and care across Tayside and beyond.
Designed with the Citizens’ Assembly
The programme combined keynote presentations, project showcases, networking opportunities and panel discussions, creating space for attendees to learn, connect and share ideas throughout the day.
Assembly members told us they wanted opportunities to meet project teams, explore technologies, hear from people with lived experience and provide feedback directly to innovators. The concept of a “Gathering” emerged directly from these discussions, reflecting a desire to create a welcoming and accessible space where people could learn from one another and contribute their own perspectives.
- “Every idea feels welcomed… which opened up feeling able to contribute.”
- “Face to face is always better, more interactive.”
Showcasing Innovation
A key feature of the day was the extended showcase session, which provided attendees with the opportunity to explore Tay Health Tech’s Grand Challenge and Collaborative Fund projects, meet researchers and innovators, and experience technologies first-hand.
The showcase encouraged discussion and knowledge exchange, allowing project teams to gather feedback while providing attendees with a better understanding of the challenges being addressed through innovation.
One member of the Citizens’ Assembly reflected:
- “It was great to see the actual pieces of equipment we had been discussing over the months.”
Another attendee commented:
- “It was definitely insightful to meet everyone behind Tay Health Tech and the projects themselves.”
These reflections highlight the value of creating opportunities for direct engagement between innovators and the people who may ultimately benefit from their work.
Conversation that Matter
Bringing together people from different sectors and backgrounds created valuable opportunities for conversation, learning and collaboration.
Throughout the day, attendees exchanged ideas, shared experiences and explored common challenges facing health and care services. Whether discussing medical device development, healthcare innovation, patient experiences or future opportunities, the event demonstrated the importance of bringing diverse voices together.
As one attendee shared:
- “I enjoyed the day and meeting the participants, asked a few questions of some and they were very informative.”
The day reinforced a core principle of Tay Health Tech: innovation works best when it is shaped with people, not simply for them.
Capturing Ideas and Reflections
The feedback tree, co-designed with Citizens’ Assembly members, provided attendees with an opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences throughout the day. Messages of encouragement, ideas for future activity and reflections on the event quickly filled the tree, creating a visual representation of the collective expertise and enthusiasm in the room.
Another highlight was the live visual minutes created by artist Jenny Capon. Captured in real time, the artwork brought together key themes, conversations and moments from across the day into one visual story.
Watching the illustration evolve throughout the event was fascinating, reflecting not only what was being discussed, but also how people were connecting, sharing ideas and learning from one another. It provided a creative and engaging way to communicate complex conversations while creating a lasting reflection of the energy in the room.
Looking Ahead
The Gathering demonstrated what can be achieved when innovators, researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and members of the public come together around a shared ambition: improving health and care through technology. Many of the features that attendees valued most were inspired directly by Citizens’ Assembly recommendations, demonstrating the impact of meaningful public involvement in shaping both innovation and engagement activities.
Perhaps the most encouraging feedback came from a participant who said:
- “Meeting all the innovators was a delight and will be spreading the word to others to get involved as it is so worthwhile.”
We would like to thank all speakers, project teams, Citizens’ Assembly members, exhibitors, partners and attendees for helping make The Gathering 2026 such a success. We look forward to continuing the conversations, collaborations and ideas that began on the day.
