Northern Ireland Spring Meeting 2020

Northern Ireland Spring Meeting 2020 is postponed

This is in response to the growing coronavirus outbreak and the need to do our part to contain the spread of the virus.

Many of our conference speakers and delegates are frontline health professionals working extremely hard in responding to the outbreak. We are conscious that geriatricians and multidisciplinary professionals are caring for older people living with frailty and multi-morbidity, who are known to be particularly vulnerable to the virus. We do not want to put anyone - and particularly those whose job it is to look after the health of those who are ill – at additional risk by close proximity to others at the conference.

We are also aware that Trusts depend on their staff to respond to what will be increasing numbers of people requiring healthcare. They are cancelling study leave and restricting travel for staff. The BGS wants to support its members to provide high-quality patient care at this challenging time, and has thus regretfully decided to cancel this Meeting and all other conferences that were due to take place from 1 April over the coming four months.

Why is the Northern Ireland Spring Meeting being cancelled?
 

• As the leading health organisation for improving healthcare for older people, the BGS 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, working with a particularly vulnerable patient group, this move signals the BGS’s concern to protect the NHS and the international workforce as best it can. Given the likely duration of this situation, we decided to cancel rather than postpone. We explored a number of different ways to continue with the event remotely but do not consider it feasible at this stage.

What happens to my registration fee?

• We are sorry the meeting is cancelled but hope you understand the reasons for the decision. Given the extraordinary circumstances, we will transfer your registration to the next Northern Ireland Meeting, or another region meeting in the Autumn. Let us know by 31^st March 2020 if you would prefer your registration to be transferred to a later meeting.
   
• If you would like to request a refund instead of a credit to a future meeting, please email registrations@bgs.org.uk but please allow 10 working days for us to get back to you. We will refund your registrations in full, where needed. Please consult our terms and conditions here https://www.bgs.org.uk/event-booking-terms-and-conditions under clause 8.
   

Will the costs of my prearranged travel and accommodation still be reimbursed?

• Please check with your travel company and accommodation provider if refunds are possible. Unfortunately, we cannot be responsible for travel and accommodation costs you may have already incurred; we regret that these costs are outside of our control.

What other events has the BGS cancelled?
All BGS meetings and joint meetings post 1^st April have been cancelled until 11^th September 2020.
 

This will include:

• RSM & BGS - Anemia at older age, 19 March, London 
• Spring Meeting 2020, 1-3 April, Manchester
• NE Thames Spring Meeting, 21 April, London
• Trent Spring Meeting, 22 April, Leicester
• Scotland Spring Meeting, 24 April, Dundee
• South East Spring Meeting, 30 April, London
• NW Thames Region Spring Meeting, 6 May, London
• AAA Scientific Meeting & BGS POPS Conference, 14-15 May, Bristol
• OncoGeriatrics Meeting 2020, 19 May, Manchester
• SW Thames, 20 May, Camberley

We will monitor the COVID-19 situation and the advice from Public Health England and update our advice over the coming months. We will provide an update on plans for the autumn series of events by early June at the latest. 

Can’t find the answer to your query here?

If you can’t find the answer to your query in any of these FAQs then please email us at registrations@bgs.org.uk. We aim to respond to your email within 5 working days. We will respond to emails in the order in which they are received. We have a small staff team at the BGS so we ask for your patience as we deal with a high volume of queries.