How the conference meets the ‘Patients Included’ conference charter clauses:

1. Patients or caregivers with experience relevant to the conference’s central theme actively participate in the design and planning of the event, including the selection of themes, topics and speakers.

Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) partners (as service users and as people who our health research will impact on) are on our conference organising committee.  They have equal status and authority as all other committee members.  Their involvement is facilitated through the provision of a guest status University IT account that includes email and shared file access, and use of University library facilities. All PPI committee members will review submitted abstracts.

2. Patients or caregivers with experience of the issues addressed by the event participate in its delivery, and appear in its physical audience.

PPI partners are presenting in conference plenary sessions; all plenary sessions are to be co-chaired by PPI; abstracts for oral and/or poster presentations are invited from PPI; we have a bursary scheme to support PPI attendance as delegates, and have kept the PPI delegate fee to a minimum to make the conference as accessible as possible.

3. Travel and accommodation expenses for patients or carers participating in the advertised programme are paid in full, in advance. Scholarships are provided by the conference organisers to allow patients or carers affected by the relevant issues to attend as delegates.  

Expenses for PPI partners contributing to the conference programme are covered in full by the conference budget.  Our bursary scheme for PPI partners provides travel and accommodation for PPI partners who would otherwise be unable to attend the conference.

4. The disability requirements of participants are accommodated. All applicable sessions, breakouts, ancillary meetings, and other programme elements are open to patient delegates.

All elements of the conference programme are open to PPI delegates.  The conference venue is fully wheelchair accessible, and we will provide audio support within session rooms where this is required.

5. Access for virtual participants is facilitated, with free streaming video provided online wherever possible.

We are unable to provide live streaming during the conference but plenary sessions will be video or audio recorded and made available on the conference website after the event.  We will also upload presentation slides and other outputs, and these too will be freely available on the conference website.