Event Postponed - Annual Scientific Meeting 2020

11th Mar 2020

Dear Friends,

The British Pain Society has decided to postpone its Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) and supplementary meetings until later in 2020 to support efforts to contain and mitigate against threats posed by the COVID-19 outbreak and to help protect the NHS frontline workforce and healthcare professionals from across the globe.  As a lot of those attending the Annual Scientific Meeting are anaesthetists and other allied health professionals, this move signals the Society’s concern to protect the NHS frontline workforce as best it can to address the current situation.

The British Pain Society takes its responsibility seriously to protect clinicians and the public from contracting COVID-19 and inadvertently propagating the disease. In light of increasing demands on health services, the Council felt that it was no longer appropriate to host a large-scale event and to take healthcare professionals away from where they may be needed the most in the coming weeks and months. Postponing the Annual Scientific Meeting is aimed at removing any additional risk posed to clinicians who would be needed to manage patients should the situation with the COVID-19 outbreak become more serious.

The Society has contacted delegates, speakers, and exhibitors to inform them of the postponement.  We understand that this decision will have implications for many of you and ask for your understanding and patience whilst we work through the next steps. The British Pain Society will be looking forward to welcoming delegates to the Annual Scientific Meeting later in the year once the dates have been confirmed.  We will also be reviewing our other events including SIG meetings and Study Days with regard to the ongoing situation and will provide updates as required.

Kindest regards,

Dr Arun Bhaskar
President

We will be sending further communications as soon as possible, but in the first instance, please refer to the FAQs here: ASM Speaker FAQ's or the ASM Delegate FAQ's or contact [email protected] 

For the latest NHS and government advice, we advise regularly checking the below links:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/coronavirus

https://www.gov.scot/publications/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-update/ 

Guidance for healthcare professionals is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/wuhan-novel-coronavirus

For information on the public information campaign visit nhs.uk/coronavirus.