Why evidence and values matter in healthcare: Highlights from CEVH’s inaugural event
On 31 October, the Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare (CEVH) welcomed a full house to its inaugural event, officially launching the Centre. Attendees represented all career stages and a wide range of perspectives, from those working in patient care, policy, management, academia, teaching, and research to patients and lay people. Their contributions and reflections made the event a resounding success.
Dean of Medicine Professor Deborah Williamson opened the day, noting that this is a critical time to examine evidence and values. In a rapidly changing post-pandemic world, the role of informed and reliable healthcare increasingly vital.
Sir David Haslam delivered the keynote address, ‘Healthcare: What is it for?’, drawing on his experience as Chair of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of General Practitioners and President of the British Medical Association (BMA). Reflecting on values and evidence, he highlighted the importance of trust, relationships, “guidelines not tramlines”, and prioritising quality and patient values when organising healthcare systems.
Karen Titchener, Scotland’s first Patient Safety Commissioner, spoke about her new role and emphasised that patient safety depends on safer systems, listening to patients, and openness.
Further thought-provoking presentations came from members of the CEVH Team, including Director Dr Margaret McCartney (School of Medicine), Professor Frank Sullivan (School of Medicine), Dr Joseph Millum (Department of Philosophy), and Professor Kevin Orr (Business School). This multidisciplinary approach reflects the Centre’s mission to explore how evidence and values intersect in shaping modern healthcare decisions.
Small-group workshops tackled diverse topics: addressing women’s health needs, reducing commercial influence in medical education, making healthcare more equitable, and the role of AI in future care. Discussions highlighted the complexity of these issues, historical influences, and stakeholder roles in finding solutions. The Centre will analyse themes that arose from these workshops to inform future work.
Feedback on the day was overwhelmingly positive, with delegates expressing particular appreciation for the opportunity to engage in truly multidisciplinary discussions on the future of healthcare.
Reflecting on the event, Dr McCartney said, “I’m very grateful to everyone who came and made the event such a success. I had so many conversations with inspiring people working across healthcare.
“Our work can be both difficult and hugely rewarding, and we look forward to developing ways to support people in the everyday challenges we face.”
The Centre would like to thank The Della Fish Foundation for supporting this event and its ongoing work.
The next CEVH event, entitled ‘Screening – it’s complicated. The science, evidence and practice of screening for disease’, will take place on 5 February 2026.