2024 is a huge year for The Association of Perioperative Practice (AfPP) as they celebrate their 60th anniversary. To mark the organisation’s long history of supporting best practice and education, a programme of events will be taking place across the country. CSJ provides an overview.
The AfPP has been at the forefront of patient safety for 60 years and they have big plans for a year-long celebration. Firstly, and new for 2024, they're hosting The AfPP Roadshow consisting of seven one-day events across the UK, visiting Birmingham, Exeter, Cardiff, London, Glasgow, Belfast and Leeds. The 60th Anniversary events are focusing on the 'Fundamentals of Practice' with each event concentrating on five key areas of practice: Risk Management, Infection Control, Clinical Effectiveness, Patient Dignity and Care, and Mental Health and Wellbeing. You will find a different agenda and speakers in each city, and the events are suitable for practitioners at all stages of their career. Each one will equip delegates with 'actionable change' that can be put into practice immediately or included in longer term plans for improvement.
The events are designed to make perioperative education accessible (wherever you are in the country) and to encourage more people to give the AfPP events a try. With the special 60th Anniversary low ticket price, these events are offering superb education at great value for money (delegates gain 5 CPD hours) and are not to be missed. They are about welcoming members and importantly non-members, to give them a taste of what AfPP has to offer.
Sitting right at the heart of the Anniversary celebrations is the Annual Conference, supported by headline sponsor Mölnlycke. The Anniversary year sees the Annual Conference hosted at a brand-new venue, the fantastic University of Warwick site and, with the new venue, comes a new look conference for the delegates. Revealed will be over 30 educational sessions, three separate learning streams, plus hands-on practical workshops. Running alongside the busy educational agenda, you will find the industry exhibition and networking hub - the bustling exhibition hall features 30+ industry exhibitors, showcasing cutting-edge products and services giving delegates the chance to speak to industry professionals face-to-face. Topping off the event is the 60th Anniversary Gala dinner — a celebration of the Association and those who sit at its heart: the members.
A gathering of experts
AfPP's mission is to improve patient care through constantly developing and promoting the leading standards for perioperative practice and practitioners, and it has been at the forefront of patient safety since 1964. The inaugural meeting of the then NATN took place in 1964 with just 23 delegates, the event has grown from a small gathering at the St James' University Hospital to a full-scale professional medical association.
The AfPP Annual Conference is more than just a meeting; it's a hardworking and dedicated community coming together to learn, share ideas, and inspire one another. With over 500 attendees, this event is one of the largest gatherings of perioperative professionals in the UK. For 2024, the conference programme features over 30 expert speakers covering a wide range of current and important topics such as NATSSPS2, Surgical Site Infections, Infection Control, Sustainability, Human Factors and Health and Wellbeing.
AfPP is delighted to welcome some incredible keynote speakers to this year's conference, including Dr. David Hamilton, who originally worked in R&D in the pharmaceutical industry developing drugs for cardiovascular disease and cancer. He went on to leave the industry to author books and educate people in how they can harness their mind and emotions to improve their mental and physical health — a talk not to be missed.
Equally compelling will be Melissa Mead, UK Sepsis Trust Ambassador and Spokesperson, who is speaking to delegates about her campaign to raise awareness of sepsis. Following the death of her son William, who lost his life to sepsis just after his first birthday in December 2014, Melissa has worked tirelessly, giving talks, attending conferences, appearing on national TV and even creating an awareness-raising video seen by millions of people.
Closing day one of the conference will be Dr. Chris Turner representing the organisation Civility Saves Lives - a collective of healthcare professionals aiming to raise awareness of the power of civility in medicine. Dr. Chris Turner is a consultant in emergency medicine, working in a tertiary trauma centre in the West Midlands. He has spoken at numerous events about the power of civility and his TEDx talk 'When rudeness in teams turns deadly' has received over 167K views.
Education and networking
A hugely important part of the conference and a hub for networking is the exhibition hall, sitting right at the centre of the venue. Supported by AfPP's industry partners, the annual exhibition is an invaluable part of the exhibitors' annual event circuit. AfPP offers protected exhibition viewing time as part of the agenda and the delegates (many who are influencers and decision makers in their field) are always keen to engage with suppliers. The bustling exhibition hall features 30+ industry exhibitors, showcasing cutting-edge products and services. Attendees can engage with representatives, ask questions, and explore innovations that enhance patient care. The connections made here often extend beyond the conference, leading to successful collaborations and long-lasting relationships.
Some of the most popular sessions at the conference are the hands-on practical workshops. 2024 sees two different practical sessions — one covering laparoscopic skills and skin preparation and one covering lifting and patient handling. Delivered by practitioners with extensive experience, this is a brilliant opportunity for delegates to experience practical education sessions, in small groups. While both workshops cover theoretical points, these workshops are designed to enable delegates to have realistic hands-on experience. In the laparoscopic sessions the delegates are working with torsos, real surgical instruments and given real life scenarios. The lifting and patient handling sessions offer cleverly simulated situations giving delegates as true to life scenarios as possible.
So why should I attend?
Apart from the outstanding speakers, access to industry leading suppliers, three different streams of education and hands on workshops, you will also gain up to 13.5 CDP hours.
Sam, a previous student ODP delegate, said: "The AfPP conference is a brilliant experience. I always leave feeling inspired and motivated." Laura, an NHS Staff Nurse, said: "I thought the whole thing was absolutely fantastic and everyone was so friendly. Seeing people from all walks of life was amazing and hearing their stories made you realise you're not alone in the challenges that you face, there is a whole workforce to help you through."
Georgie Lole, Events Lead for AfPP, said: "We know how important this event is in the Perioperative Calendar and, this year, the team have worked hard to put together a jam-packed agenda. We can't wait to welcome both members and non-members to our brand-new venue and celebrate our 60th anniversary. If you haven't got your tickets yet, grab them fast!"
At the core of this conference is the AfPP, the UK's leading association for perioperative practitioners. For six decades, AfPP has championed excellence, patient safety, and professional growth. Through standards development, best practices, and resource provision, AfPP empowers its members to create safer surgical environments. Their mission — to lead perioperative excellence — is evident in every aspect of the conference.
Join the conversation on social media using #AfPPConf2024
For more information about becoming a member of AfPP, visit: www.afpp.org.uk
