Dear Trainees and Faculty,
We sincerely hope that you are staying safe during these difficult times.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, which became fully-fledged in the UK in mid-March 2020, our primary obligation and responsibility has been towards the wellbeing of all individuals in our society, particularly our patients. Indeed, the health and wellbeing of all healthcare professionals, essential staff and support workers should not be compromised or taken for granted. Within the context of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, we also appreciate that continued education and training are imperative for healthcare professionals to serve the public to the best of their ability.
We are continuing to receive a large number of requests from many healthcare professionals from different specialities and grades to attend our well-reputed educational and training events. We have been closely monitoring the situation in the UK, Ireland, Europe and Asia. We have been seeking guidance from the local governments with regards to travel and training events/courses for healthcare professionals. The directives and guidelines we are following for decision making are as follows:
In addition, we are reviewing the situation on a daily basis in line with the guidelines issued by the UK Government, the WHO, hospitals and the UK Royal Colleges. We are continuing to proactively monitor, evaluate and respond to the impact of the virus, prioritising the safety and needs of delegates, faculty, volunteers, and all those involved in the organisation of our training and educational events.
There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to this complex and unprecedented global situation. We are considering each course and each training event on its own merit, following a robust risk assessment and feasibility study for every event before it is deemed safe, suitable and appropriate to be conducted anywhere in the world.
Based on the above, the following types of events stand suspended until further notice:
Any event/course that needs to be conducted during the period of the COVID-19 outbreak must not fall under any of the above criteria.
Only events/courses that fulfil ALL of the following criteria will be considered safe, suitable and appropriate to be conducted during the period of the COVID-19 outbreak:
If an event, course or training programme fulfils ANY of the following criteria, it CANNOT be conducted during the period of the COVID-19 outbreak:
All attending delegates, teaching faculty and organisers MUST fulfil the following criteria and MUST abide by the recommendations stated below.
The above measures have been put in place in order to prioritise the health and wellbeing of all concerned. We acknowledge that robust training and education are imperative for healthcare professionals to remain abreast of scientific knowledge and skills in order to better serve society. We will continue to review the situation on a daily basis and ensure that you are kept informed as it evolves.
Our thoughts are with our delegates and faculty as they strive to protect the nation at this challenging time.