Medical associations are major influencers in shaping the health and wellbeing of millions of people and are big players in the event industry. The annual conference and exhibition is a key date in the association calendar, creating opportunities to explore new clinical procedures and treatments and define and deploy best practice throughout the profession.
Among those coming to Bournemouth International Centre is the Association of Breast Surgery Conference and AGM, which returns to the venue on 15-16 June 2015. This time the event will use three of the main halls to accommodate a larger exhibition and conference than in 2012.
“The ABS is pleased to be returning to Bournemouth International Centre in 2015. As our Conference and AGM grows its facilities are able to meet our evolving requirements,”
says Lucy Davies, Association Manager. More than 800 delegates are expected to attend the event, which includes a three-stream conference, an exhibition and a gala dinner in the nearby Bournemouth Pavilion.
Two other major medical associations have also confirmed they will be bringing their annual conferences to Bournemouth International Centre for the first time in 2016 and 2017. They are the British Dermatological Nursing Group (BDNG) for 21-23 June 2016 and the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI) for 3-5 July 2017.
“We’re delighted that the Association of Breast Surgery, British Dermatological Nursing Group and the Association of Coloproctology have chosen to bring their annual conferences to Bournemouth,”
says BH Live Director of Venues, Pat Coyne.
“Our Bournemouth venues are popular with specialist groups for their spatial flexibility and facilities, proximity to the town, quality accommodation and unique coastal vibe.”
Both the BDNG and ACPGBI events were booked following a successful familiarisation visit hosted by BH Live’s conference and exhibitions team.
“We need to show that we fit all the client’s criteria in terms of the setting, accommodation, venue facilities and catering, as well as the social side of things,”
explains Pat Coyne.
“They need to be confident they can use our assets to build and promote a complete delegate experience to their visitors. We regularly run bespoke destinations. It’s a bit like choosing a university. It takes a visit and a tour to confirm visits and open days to enable them to see, at first hand, all that we have to offer in our venues and your first thoughts and narrow down your choices to get the right fit, right place and right feel.”
“We have never been to Bournemouth before, but after visiting Bournemouth International Centre, we were impressed not only with the scope of the space available, but also the staff’s professionalism, efficiency and willingness to help us with our plans,”
says Susan Maguire, BDNG Operations Manager.
“As a charity, we have to keep a careful eye on prices and have found the BIC to be very competitively priced. We are looking forward to what will hopefully be a very successful annual conference in 2016.”
“The ACPGBI returns to Bournemouth again for their annual conference, this time in association with our Swedish society colleagues,”
says Consultant Surgeon and President Elect, Peter Dawson.
“Over 1,000 delegates are expected, which is why Bournemouth International Centre has been chosen for its facilities, flexibility, ambience and competitive cost. The ACPGBI is very much looking forward to being on the South Coast again, hopefully in the blazing sunshine!”
For all three of these organisations, cancer remains one of the biggest challenges.
Thanks to ongoing research, public funding, charitable donations and heightened public awareness, the picture is improving for cancer patients in the UK. According to Cancer Research UK, survival rates in the UK have doubled in the last 40 years. 50% of adult cancer patients diagnosed in 2010-2011 in England and Wales are now predicted to survive for 10 or more years – 46% of men and 54% of women. 90% of skin cancer patients, 78% of breast cancer patients and 57% of bowel cancer patients should all survive more than ten years.
“We’ve come a long way in 23 years to develop and apply innovative lifesaving and life enhancing cancer treatments,”
says Asha Senapati PhD FRCS, President of the Association of Coloproctology GBI for 2014/2015.
“Screening has vastly improved and attitudes are changing, but in our sector we still have a huge hurdle to overcome in the taboo, embarrassment and joke appeal that surrounds colorectal diseases. We want patients to feel as comfortable reporting a bowel problem to their GP as a lump or mole. Like all specialist medical groups, we’re constantly pushing out that message – the earlier we diagnose a problem, the more chance we have of fixing it.”
—-Ends—–
Notes to the editor
Bournemouth International Centre is operated by BH Live in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council.
About BH Live
BH Live is the South Coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues – a social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives. With over 2.5 million visits a year and over £31 million turnover, the organisation is changing lives – placing it at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy.
In 2013/14, BH Live hosted 423 shows, sold over half a million cultural, sporting and entertainment tickets, clocked up 1.8 million leisure centre visits and welcomed 88,000 conference and exhibition delegates which contributed over £45 million to the local economy.
For further press information:
Elizabeth Symmons
PR & Corporate Communications Executive, BH Live
Elizabeth.Symmons@bhlive.co.uk
01202 451866