Mr Lansley is said to be there to “listen and reflect” rather than lecture Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has been given a vote of no confidence by nurses.
Delegates at the Royal College of Nursing conference overwhelmingly backed a motion questioning his handling of the reforms in England.
It comes ahead of a visit by Mr Lansley to the event in Liverpool later on Wednesday.
But instead of addressing the whole conference he will meet a group of 50 nurses separately.
The decision has prompted some to question his nerve.
During the debate on the overhaul of the NHS, nurses said they were angry over the reforms and the way the government is running its new “listening exercise”.
David Dawes, a nurse from Manchester, said the RCN had tried to engage with government in the past, adding he did not believe the it was interested in changing its plans so now was time “to oppose”.
Zeba Arif, a mental health nurse from London, said: “Reform means making it better. Is this making it better? No it is not.”
And Bethann Siviter, a nurse who now works in Birmingham after moving to England from the US, added: “If this goes forward the NHS is dying. I come from a country with private health care. Don’t go there.”
Under the shake-up, GPs are to be given control of much of the NHS budget, while greater competition with the private sector will be encouraged.
But critics, including the Royal College of Nursing, have warned the changes could undermine the NHS.
“I think it’s a shame Andrew Lansley does not have the guts to come up and face congress as a whole”
Julian Newell A&E nurse
After months of attacks, the government said last week it would run another consultation, even though the bill underpinning the changes has already started progressing through Parliament.
Wednesday marks the first significant step in that process – and will also see Labour leader Ed Miliband make a speech about the NHS.
In the morning, Mr Lansley is meeting voluntary sector chiefs in Downing Street to discuss how they can get involved in delivering services.
He will then travel to Liverpool to meet nurses. But instead of addressing the entire conference – as public health minister Anne Milton did on Tuesday – he will meet a group of 50 nurses representing all parts of the UK.
The decision to attend the smaller meeting has caused anger among delegates at the conference.
Julian Newell, an A&E nurse from Sheffield, said: “I think it’s a shame Andrew Lansley does not have the guts to come up and face congress as a whole.”
RCN general secretary Peter Carter also questioned the decision. “It’s his judgment call, he feels it’s better but he is going to get stick from congress. Congress is going to interpret it as him not having the courage to speak to them.”
But a Department of Health spokeswoman defended the decision. She said Ms Milton, as a former nurse, was the right person to address delegates, allowing the health secretary to come and “listen and reflect” rather than lecture.
She added: “Nurses are the backbone of our NHS. As a demonstration of our support, two government ministers are attending congress.”
But Labour leader Ed Miliband said the government needed to fundamentally change their plans, warning they would put hospitals at risk and lead to staff losing the power to do what they believed was best for patients.
He added: “The more people understand and hear about these proposals, the less they like them.
“It’s not a problem of public relations, it’s a problem of principle.”
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