Anaesthesia 2025
Our Anaesthesia 2025 flagship conference will take place in Belfast in May 2025 for three days. There is also an option for those that prefer to join us online.
Our Anaesthesia 2025 flagship conference will take place in Belfast and online in May 2025 for three days.
The theme for this years conference is 'impact'
Topics will include:
- Human factors
- Perioperative care
- Regional anaesthesia
- Balancing risks
- Airway
- Patients with additional communication needs
- Impact of clinical anaesthesia
- The troubles in Northern Ireland
All conference materials and lectures will be available on demand to delegates after the event for 6 months.
Please note that you are able to attend a mix of both in-person and online. If this is something you'd like to book, please give us a call on 020 7092 1673.
Feedback from last years event:
'Really inspiring, well organised and thought provoking for those interested in anaesthetics!'
'Excellent Course for a busy Anaesthetist'
'Well run, informative talks and excellent speakers'
'Excellent conference with discussion of relevant topics and advances in practice'
'It was very informative, and I was always both excited and entertained by the speakers.'
| 08:45-09:30 | REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS | |
| 09:25-09:30 | Online platform opens - technical checks | |
| 09:30-09:35 | Introduction & Presidents update | Dr Claire Shannon, President, Royal College of Anaesthetists |
| 09:35-09:45 | Welcome from Visit Belfast | Ms Beth Murphy, Visit Belfast Representative |
| 09:45-10:05 | Keynote lecture | Mr Mike Nesbitt, Minister of Health for Northern Ireland |
| 10:05-10:10 | Q&A | |
| Session 1: Quick fire updates | ||
| 10:10-10:30 | Neuro - Nociception Monitoring | Professor Anil Hormis Consultant Anaesthetist, Rotherham |
| 10:30-10:50 | Paediatric regional anaesthesia | Dr Branislav Mislovic, Consultant Paediatric Anaesthesiologist, Ireland |
| 10:50-11:10 | Mechanical thrombectomy | Dr Rebecca Campbell, Consultant Paediatric and Adult Neuroanaesthesia , London |
| 11:10-11:25 | Q&A | |
| 11:25-11:45 | REFRESHMENTS | |
| Session 2: Quality Improvement | ||
| 11:45-12:35 | Quality Improvement in 2025: Curriculum, Training and Collaboration |
Dr Samantha Warnakulasuriya, Consultant Anaesthetist and QI Lead, RCoA London Dr Brian McCloskey, Director of Patient Safety and Quality Improvement, Ireland |
| 12:35-12:45 | Q&A | |
| 12:45-13:45 | LUNCH AND NETWORKING | |
| 13:15-13:40 |
General Medical Council Sponsored lunch session: Good medical practice – challenging workplace behaviours and cultures |
Mr Chris Lawlor, Senior Liaison Adviser In person only |
| Session 3: Human Factors | ||
| 13:40-14:05 | Hewitt lectureship – Should all anaesthetists be experts in systems safety? | Dr Helen Higham, Consultant Anaesthetist, Oxford |
| 14:05-14:30 | Human Factors in theatres - a surgical perspective | Mr James Thomlinson, Consultant Spinal Surgeon, Sheffield |
| 14:30-14:55 | Beyond Behaviour: Systems, Design, and the Human in Theatre | Ms Fran Ives, Chartered Human Factors Specialist, Health Innovation West Midlands |
| 14:55-15:10 | Q&A | |
| 15:10-15:30 | REFRESHMENTS | |
| 15.15-15.30 | MTI/SAS Doctors networking | In person only Boardroom 1 |
| Session 4: Impact of Clinical Anaesthesia | ||
| 15:30-15:55 | RA & NAP8 | Dr Alan Macfarlane, Consultant Anaesthetist, Glasgow |
| 15:55-16:20 | GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Guidance and Practice | Professor Kariem El-Boghdadly, Consultant Anaesthetist, London |
| 16:20-16:30 | Q&A | |
| 16:30-17:00 | Panel - 'Imposter syndrome: friend or foe' | Ms Babita Sharma Fiona Scott |
| 17:00 | Closing remarks | |
| 17:00-18:00 | DRINKS RECEPTION & NETWORKING | |
*this programme is subject to change
| 06:45 | Pre-event morning 5km run/jog/walk | Meet outside ICC Belfast Riverside Concourse entrance |
| 08:30-09:00 | REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS | |
| 08:55-09:00 | Online platform opens - technical checks | |
| 09:00-09:05 | Opening remarks | Dr Toni Brunning, Vice President, Royal College of Anaesthetists |
| 09:05-09:30 | Keynote lecture: Creating impact with high performance teams | Mr Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Rugby Union Footballer, UK |
| 09:30-09:35 | Q&A | |
| 09:35-11:05 |
Breakout Workshop Regional Anaesthesia This workshop will run parallel with the lectures. Available in person only. |
In partnership with Northern Ireland Regional Anaesthesia Society Thank you to Sonosite/Fujifilm for providing the equipment for this workshop |
| Session 5: Perioperative and Quality Improvement | ||
| 09:35-10:00 | NELA | Dr David Saunders, Clinical Lead in Anaesthesia, Newcastle |
| 10:00-10:25 | Sip Til Send | Prof Scarlett McNally, Deputy Director & Surgeon, Centre for Perioperative Care |
| 10:25-10:50 | CPOC: preparing for surgery, discharge and postoperative recovery | Miss Claire Frank, CPOC Fellow, Wrexham |
| 10:50-11:10 | Q&A | |
| 11:10-11:40 | REFRESHMENTS | |
| 11.10-11.40 | RCoA Coffee and chat | RCoA Membership team (In person only) |
| Session 6: Balancing risks | ||
| 11:40-11:50 | Local Anaesthetic infiltration | Dr Felicity Plaat, Consultant Anaesthetist, London |
| 11:50-12:05 | Prefilled Syringes | Dr Philip Barclay, Consultant Anaesthetist, London |
| 12:05-12:30 | Balancing risk in training | Dr Amy Donnelly, Co-Director of Training, Ireland |
| 12:30-12:45 | Q&A | |
| 12:45-13:45 | LUNCH AND NETWORKING | |
| 13:45-14:30 |
Breakout workshops. Some workshops are limited numbers. Booking to be made in advance. Attend first breakout session |
|
| Breakout 1 (Airway) | Dr Will Donaldson, Consultant Anaesthetist/Co-opted RCoA Council, Northern Ireland Dr Damien Carson, Consultant Anaesthetist, Northern Ireland Dr Michael McBrien, Consultant Anaesthetist, Northern Ireland Dr Linda Mottram, Faculty Tutor, Northern Ireland |
|
| Breakout 2 (Pick of the Posters) | Dr Jonathan Thompson, Consultant Anaesthetist, Leicester Dr Felicity Plaat, Consultant Anaesthetist, London |
|
| Breakout 3 (Generic Professional capabilities hub) | Dr Joe Lipton, Anaesthetist, London Dr Joe Hogan, ACCS (Anaesthetics) CT4, London Dr Hannah Headon, ST4 Anaesthetist, London Dr Chris James, Anaesthetic Specialist Registrar, London Dr Soumen Sen, Consultant Anaesthetist, Surrey |
|
| Breakout 4 (Humanitarian Medicine: Dealing With The Mental Impact) | Dr Elma Wong, Consultant Anaesthetist, Worcestershire Dr Paul Maclure, Consultant Anaesthetist, Adelaide, Australia |
|
| Breakout 5 (Regional Anaesthesia) |
In partnership with Northern Ireland Regional Anaesthesia Society Dr Sean Shevlin, Consultant Anaesthetist, Northern Ireland |
|
| 14:30-14:40 | Travel time to second workshop choice | |
| 14:40-15:25 | Attend second breakout session | |
| 15:25-15:50 | REFRESHMENTS | |
| Session 8: British Journal of Anaesthesia | ||
| 15:50-16:10 | Pain management in people with substance use disorder | Dr Patrice Forget, Clinical Chair in Anaesthesia and Honorary Consultant, Aberdeen |
| 16:10-16:30 | Top five papers of the year | Dr David Hewson, Associate Professor of Anaesthesia, Honorary Consultant Anaesthetist, Nottingham |
| 16:30-16:55 | Mapleson award lecture | Dr Tom Abbott, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Anaesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, London |
| 16:55-17:05 | Q&A | |
| 17:05-17:35 | Panel: Remembering the Omagh Bombing |
Dr John Maginness, Retired Consultant Anaesthetist, Northern Ireland Ms Joann McCullagh |
| 17:35-17:40 | Q&A and Closing remarks | |
*this programme is subject to change
Regional workshops are in partnership with Northern Ireland Anaesthesia Society
Thank you to Sonosite/Fujifilm for providing the equipment for this workshop
| 08:30-09:00 | REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS | |
| 08:55-09:00 | Online platform opens - technical checks | |
| 09:00-09:05 | Opening remarks | Dr Will Donaldson, Consultant Anaesthetist/Co-opted RCoA Council, Northern Ireland |
| 09:05-09:30 | Keynote lecture: Conscientious objection in anesthesiology/ICU care | Professor Gail Van Norman, Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, UW Medicine, WA, USA |
| 09:30-09:40 | Q&A | |
| Session 9: Patients with additional communication needs | ||
| 09:40-10:10 | Learning from Oliver McGowan: training to help clinicians communicate more effectively | Ms Paula Kennelly, Project Coordinator and Mr Shaun Picken, Lived Experience Consultant, My Life My Choice |
| 10:10-10:55 | Panel discussion and Q&A | Dr Samantha Black, Consultant anaesthetist, Kent Ms Paula Kenney Mr Shaun Picken |
| 10:55-11:20 | REFRESHMENTS | |
| 11:00-11:20 | Breathwork taster session In person only |
Dr James Brunning, Consultant Anaesthetist and Trust Wellbeing Lead for Medical Staff |
| Session 10: RCoA Centre for Research & Improvement (CR&I) Frailty/Delirium |
||
| 11:20-11:35 | CR&I Overview (latest news) | Professor Iain Moppett, Director Centre for Research & Improvement, Nottingham |
| 11:35-11:50 | Postoperative delirium and its impact on outcomes: insights from the SNAP-3 study | Dr Claire Swarbrick, Centre for Research & Improvement Fellow, Nottingham |
| 11:50-12:05 | The impact of emergency laparotomy for older people living with frailty | Miss Angeline Price. Advanced practitioner, Northern Care Alliance |
| 12:05-12.35 | Advance Care Planning: Getting it Right | Professor Adam Gordon, Professor of Care of Older People, London |
| 12:35-12:45 | Q&A | |
| 12:50-13:25 | Poster Competition | |
| 12:50-12:55 | Poster presenter 1 - Perioperative temperature management - an audit | Dr Thomas Rawling, CT3 Anaesthetics, Dorset |
| 12:55-13:00 | Poster presenter 2 - Perioperative Treatment of Tabacco Dependence: The development of a new guidance document with the Centre for Perioperative Care | Dr Emma Sewart, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow, Severn Deanery |
| 13:00-13:05 | Poster presenter 3 - Evaluating SORT and ACS NSQIP Risk Prediction Models: Assessing Predictive Accuracy for Mortality in High-Risk Colorectal Patients | Dr Jessica Quimpo, Clinical Teaching Fellow, London |
| 13:05-13:10 | Poster presenter 4 - Measuring performance in clinical outcomes – Anaesthetics | Dr Alex Brown, Clinical Research Fellow in Anaesthetics, Cardiff |
| 13:10-13:15 | Poster presenter 5 - Implementation of a High-Risk Preoperative Assessment Clinic in a Busy Tertiary Centre: A re-audit of patients undergoing major surgery and an evaluation of service, focussing on shared decision making and individualised risk assessment scoring | Dr Danielle Tang, Core Anaesthetics Trainee, London |
| 13:15-13:25 | Q&A | |
| 13:25-14:25 | LUNCH AND NETWORKING | |
| Session 11: Impact/changes in NI | ||
| 14:25-14:50 | Impact of EPIC implementation in NI | Dr Ciara Mitchell, Consultant Anaesthetist, Northern Ireland |
| 14:50-15:15 | Future of health research In NI - I Reach | Professor Judy Bradley, Director of Clinical Research Facility, Northern Ireland |
| 15:15-15:40 | Impact of anaesthesia on sport medicine |
Dr Martin Duffy, Clinical Director, Northern Ireland Dr Chris Nutt, Consultant intensivist and Anaesthetist, Northern Ireland Plus some special guest speakers |
| 15:40-15:55 | Q&A | |
| 15:55-16:00 | Closing remarks | |
*this programme is subject to change
Pricing
Please note that you are able to attend a mix of both in-person and online. If this is something you'd like to book, please give us a call on 020 7092 1673.
We are offering a fee for Low Middle Income Countries for online attendance, the cost will be £15 per day. Please email events@rcoa.ac.uk to check your eligibility.
Hybrid Events
If you would like to attend via a mix of in person and online for this event please call the Events Team on 020 7092 1673 and they can assist you with your booking and take your payment over the phone.
Pricing Terms and Conditions
Payment must be made at the time of booking unless otherwise stated. The RCoA, FICM and FPM are unable to hold places on events without payment. Credit or debit card payments must be made online via our card payment handler Stripe, or by phone. We do not accept purchase orders or raise invoices for places on our events.
Discounts are available for some membership types at the rates stated below. You must be eligible for the discount both at the time of the booking and at the time of the event itself. We may ask for proof of your member status at any point. If you are unable to prove your entitlement to the discount we may charge you the full event rate, or invite you to update your membership status accordingly. In such a situation we may withhold access to the event until your updated payment clears, or your new membership status is confirmed.
Visit Belfast & Accommodation
We are working with Belfast City Council and Tourism Northern Ireland on the conference support scheme. We thank them for supporting Anaesthesia 2025.
Visit Belfast
Visit Belfast have provided some links to some of the other activities taking place in Belfast.
- Weekend in Belfast Guide
- Bike tours in Belfast
- Game of Thrones sightseeing tours
- Heritage trails in Belfast
- Whiskey distilleries and experiences
- Gin tasting experiences in Belfast
- Historic houses and stately homes
- Sustainable Belfast
Accommodation
The RCoA has secured preferential rates with local hotels. Please note these have not been visited by the RCoA and bookings are to be made directly with the hotel.
Hilton, Belfast
Visit Hilton website to book - 10% discount applied - Available Rooms - Hilton Belfast
Leonardo Hotels
Visit Leonardo website to book - Hotels in UK & Ireland |Hotel Deals| Leonardo Hotels
Code required: LHROYA190525
Travelodge
10% off best available rate - all rooms must be booked directly with the Hotel and include 'Anaesthesia 2025' in the subject line to secure the discount.
Contact Hotel via email - belfast@travelodge.ie
Andras Hotels
10% discount off their best flexible rates for the following hotels. Book directly with the hotels to secure the discount.
4* Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre - 028 90 878 796 - reservations@hibelfastcitycentre.co.uk
4* Standard Hampton by Hilton Belfast City Centre - 028 90 878 793 - reservations@hbhbelfast.com
3* Holiday Inn Express Belfast City - 028 90 891 894 - reservations@hiexpressbelfast.com
3* Ibis Belfast City Centre - 028 90 891 941 - h7232-re@accor.com
Clayton Hotels
12% discount off Bed and Breakfast rates. Visit the hotel website and enter the promo code in the promotional code box at enquiry stage. Promo code valid until 6 weeks prior to arrival date. Promo code: CONF12
Clayton Hotel Belfast - 4-Star Hotel in Belfast City Centre | Clayton Hotel Belfast (claytonhotels.com)
Madron Hotel Belfast City - Luxury 4-Star Hotel in Belfast | Maldron Hotel Belfast City (maldronhotels.com)
Ramada by Wyndham Belfast
20% off best available rate - Visit the hotel website using the following link to book directly - Ramada by Wyndham Belfast City Centre | Belfast, NIR Hotels (wyndhamhotels.com)
Discount available until 28 days prior to Anaesthesia 2025.
AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast
10% discount off best available bed & breakfast rate.
Discount available until 8 weeks prior to Anaesthesia 2025. Promo code IXY.
Book using the following link: https://www.marriott.com/en-gb/hotels/bfsac-ac-hotel-belfast/overview/
Ten Square, Belfast
Visit Ten Square Hotel website to book - https://www.tensquare.co.uk/
Promotional Code required: RCA10SQ
*4-Star City Centre Hotel conveniently located across from Belfast City Hall & less than a 10 x Minute walk from ICC Belfast*
£130.00 per room, per night including Breakfast (Single Occupancy)
This rate will only be available up until Tuesday 22nd April 2025, at the very latest – so we advise guests to book early, while availability lasts.
*Free cancellation up until 24 x hours prior to your check-in date*
Exhibitors
We would like to thank our exhibitors for supporting our event.
Thank you to our Premium sponsor: General Medical Council
Sponsors and exhibitors at our events purely support the commercial aspects of the event and join us for the benefit of our members, fellows and delegates. Our sponsors do not have input into the design of the programme or the content of any presentations, slides, workshops or talks.
For sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities get in touch: events@rcoa.ac.uk.
Poster & Video Competitions
This year we have two competitions running at Anaesthesia 2025.
1. Poster competition - If you have worked on a project which addresses the PQIP priorities, please submit a poster.
2. Video competition - new for this year, we are inviting video submissions for projects that have had an impact in the field of anaesthesia through innovative practices, research or educational initiatives.
Please scroll down for further information and a submission form.
Video competition information
Have you been involved in a project that has had impact in the field of anaesthesia through innovative practices, research or educational initiatives? If so, make a short video to showcase your work and enter this competition.
- The competition is looking for submissions that addresses relevant, timely topics within anaesthesia, with clear application to current clinical practices, emerging technologies, or patient safety improvements.
- Submissions should demonstrate how the work presented has made a measurable, positive impact—whether through enhanced patient outcomes, operational improvements, or the introduction of innovative techniques or technologies that have been successfully implemented.
- The video should clearly illustrate how the initiative has improved anaesthesia care, whether through improved patient safety, streamlined workflows, or educational advancements. It should also provide evidence of sustained or reproducible impact.
- This competition aims to highlight work that not only pushes the boundaries of anaesthesia practice but also tangibly improves the quality and safety of care provided to patients.
Eligibility
The competition is open to all healthcare professionals or student healthcare professionals.
Prize
1st prize - £100 voucher of your choice
All accepted videos will be shared on the platform for Anaesthesia 2025 and at the venue.
Criteria
- Videos should be a maximum of 3 minutes long
- Be clear and to the point
- Use slides or images where relevant
Technical specifications
We do check all video abstracts for quality, to make sure they are watchable. Below are our technical specifications:
- Format: .mov, .mpg, or .mp4
- Maximum file size: 100 MB
- Aspect ratio: 16:9, square pixels, deinterlaced (landscape format is best)
How to enter
Submit your video to events@rcoa.ac.uk via wetransfer or dropbox along with a signed copy of the application form here.
What happens next?
The closing date for entries will be 23.59 Monday 24 March 2025.
A panel of RCoA judges will assess all submissions shortly after the closing date. Authors will be notified by Monday 14 April if they have been invited to display their video at Anaesthesia 2025.
Authors selected to present their video will need to book a place at the event in order to for it to be displayed.
Poster competition information
Theme
You are invited to submit a poster for presentation at Anaesthesia 2025, on 20-22 May.
If you have worked on a project which addresses the PQIP priorities, please submit a poster for a chance to showcase your work and to win a £250 voucher of your choice.
A quality improvement or research project using PQIP data and/or that addresses one of PQIP’s top five priorities for 2024/25
- DrEaMing
- Patient blood management
- Individualised risk assessment including early screening and optimisation
- Diabetes management
- Quality improvement in PQIP
Eligibility
The competition is open to all healthcare professionals or student healthcare professionals.
Prize
1st prize: £250 voucher
All accepted posters will be invited to present their poster at the Conference and will be encouraged to submit a short video presentation which will be uploaded on our streaming platform for delegates to view.
The top 5 shortlisted posters will be invited to present as an oral presentation.
All accepted posters will also be published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia Open Access Journal, please see information below for submitting your abstract to them.
How to enter
- Submit a digital copy of your poster as an attachment to events@rcoa.ac.uk along with a signed copy of the application form here
- Please follow the poster preparation guidelines on page 2; failure to follow the guidelines could result in disqualification from the competition.
- Please follow abstract preparation guidelines on page 3 for the submission to the BJA Open Access Journal.
What happens next?
- The closing date for entries will be 23.59 Monday 17 March 2025.
- A panel of RCoA judges will assess all submissions shortly after the closing date. Authors will be notified by Monday 14 April if they have been invited to display their poster at Anaesthesia 2025.
- All accepted posters will be invited to showcase their poster on the virtual platform.
- The selected winner will be given a slot to present their poster during the live programme.
- Authors selected to present their poster will need to book a place at the event in order to display their poster.