RCP postpones annual conference Medicine 2020 until January
The Royal College of Physicians has decided to postpone its annual Medicine conference until 7-8 January 2021 – to take place at the same venue, the ICC in Birmingham – to support efforts to contain and mitigate against threats posed by the coronavirus outbreak.
As a leading health organisation aimed at improving patient care and preventing disease in the UK and globally, the RCP takes seriously its responsibility to protect clinicians and the public from contracting COVID-19 and to ensure that the NHS is as prepared as it can be for increased demand.
As most of those attending the annual conference are doctors and other health professionals, this move signals the RCP’s concern to protect the NHS frontline workforce as best it can.
Postponing the conference is aimed at removing any additional risk posed to clinicians who would be needed to manage patients should the situation with coronavirus become more serious. Medicine 2020, the RCP’s flagship conference and the largest event in our annual programme, was expecting upwards of 1,000 delegates from across the globe to Birmingham in April.
The RCP has contacted delegates, speakers, and exhibitors to inform them of the postponement.
RCP president Professor Andrew Goddard said:
‘While the situation is evolving and it is unclear exactly what will happen in the weeks and months ahead, we felt it was important to take decisive action now to offer early certainty to all those involved with this year’s event.
‘Our aim is always to protect people’s health and it simply wouldn’t be sensible to bring together hundreds of doctors from all over the UK, and other countries too, when they are already stretched, dealing with COVID-19 on top of all the other pressures on the NHS.
‘We shouldn’t put doctors at unnecessary risk of contracting or spreading the virus so it is a wise precaution to postpone Medicine 2020. Now, as always, I want to protect the wellbeing of the NHS workforce.’
Kate Straghton, the FPA president said:
‘All healthcare professional including physician associates will be at the heart of treating and managing patients with COVID-19 if the current situation worsens.
‘ To support patient care at a time when the NHS is most stretched, it makes sense for us to postpone the RCP annual conference.
‘It's a difficult decision but we must always look at the wider picture, keeping patients and our members healthy is our top priority.'
The RCP will look forward to welcoming delegates to the conference on the new dates of 7-8 January 2021 , at ICC Birmingham. Please refer to the FAQs for more information, or contact [email protected] .
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We will be reviewing our other events including regional updates, one-day conferences and teach-ins with regard to the national picture and will provide regular updates here which also includes links to further information on exams and assessments.
For the latest NHS and government advice, we advise regularly checking:
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 .