We Need to Talk - Women in Tech

We are back from hibernation and would like to say a very warm welcome to We Need to Talk, the event series that discusses the most topical themes facing people in tech right now. Join us at the Accurx Office on April 21st for an evening of lively discussions, thought-provoking chat, and the opportunity to network with other curious and ambitious colleagues in tech.

First, as ever, a huge thank you to all those who joined our last events, you keep us inspired to find the best topics and speakers. We Need to Talk is centred around creating a community to uplift each other, have open discussions and create an inclusive space for us all. We are so proud of this community - thank you for supporting us on this journey. Please invite your friends too and spread the word.

For the upcoming event, our generous hosts Accurx will be kicking off the evening with a quick intro to who they are and what their mission is.

This will be followed by our fabulous keynote speaker Dr Lisa Plotkin (Head of Policy and Influence at the Florence Nightingale Foundation) who needs to talk about When Hierarchy Fails: Lessons from 55 years of NHS scandals

One year in, we also want to hear from you - what can you share on the good, the bad and the curious of using AI tools. We are hosting an Open Discussion on AI Learnings from Ethics to Hallucinations we would love to get your thoughts! Our favourite part of WNTT is how much intellectual debate takes place and we would like to learn even more from you.

Event schedule:
6:00:🥤 Doors open
6.30: 🗣️ Welcome and introduction from Accurx
6.40: 🗣️ DR Lisa Plotkin: When Hierarchy Fails: Lessons from 55 years of NHS scandals
7.00: 💡 Q&A
7:10: 🍻 Drinks and networking
7:30: 🗣️ Open discussion: AI learnings
8.00: 🍻 (Optional): We offer a warm invitation to join us at the pub for a post event social and pizza - to carry on the talks.

Lisa's talk: When Hierarchy Fails: Lessons from 55 years of NHS scandals

Power tends to protect itself, and that is often most visible in the institutions we rely on most. Dr Lisa Plotkin works in nursing and midwifery policy and advocacy, within a workforce that is largely female, often undervalued, and frequently operating at the sharp end of both hierarchy and human impact.

Drawing on a series of NHS inquiries, including Mid Staffordshire, Morecambe Bay and East Kent, she will explore how serious failures are not just isolated events, but emerge from deeper, systemic conditions. These include cultures that prioritise compliance over openness, sideline those who speak up, and leave those closest to problems without the authority to act.

This talk will look at what these inquiries, taken together, reveal about how power really works in large organisations, and why the same lessons keep resurfacing. It will also consider what better looks like in practice, and what it takes to build cultures where hierarchy supports the work rather than shielding itself.

Ultimately, the question is not simply who failed, but what needs to change so that failure is no longer the default.

P.S... We would love to keep our events free and inclusive. We are orchestrating these events in our spare time and our hosts are generously gifting us the spaces to hold them. If you have signed up and can't make it any longer - we would really appreciate it if you let us know on Meet Up, it just helps us plan accordingly for the night.

P.P.S... Please let us know if you have accessibility requirements, the venue has stairs internally and we want to make sure we can accommodate everyone.

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We can't wait to see you!
Samira, Emma and Erin