Annual Spring CPD Conference

On the 8 - 10 March 2016 the RCEM CPD Conference comes to the city of Leeds, which is recognised as the birthplace of modern Emergency Medicine in the UK. Maurice Ellis was appointed as the first full time consultant in the “casualty department” at Leeds General Infirmary in 1952. He became the founder president of the Casualty Surgeons Association in 1967 before finally retiring in 1969. Emergency Medicine is still strong in Leeds with two large departments at St James's University Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary.


Getting to Leeds is incredibly easy, located in the heart of the UK, it is one of the most accessible cities. Services on Virgin Trains east coast connects Leeds to London and Edinburgh, while the transpennine express provides links to Liverpool, Manchester and York. Leeds Bradford Airport is only 8 miles from Leeds city centre. If you want to use your car, Leeds is at the crossroads of the M62 and M1 with the A1/M1 link.


The conference is being hosted in the West Yorkshire Playhouse which has been open since 1990. We are using the Courtyard theatre which has a capacity of 350 seats, there is free Wi-Fi, modern facilities, and great views of the stage.


Despite the pressures we all work under and the problems we face recruiting and retaining staff, we remain a motivated group with a thirst for knowledge. The the internet and social media has brought great benefits in the way we learn and there has been an explosion of e-learning options including blog sites and podcasts such as RCEMLearning, EMCrit, Life in the Fast Lane and St Emlyns, however there is still a role for the more traditional physical conference. It provides an opportunity to network with delegates and speakers, participate in interactive sessions and just get some headspace from our busy clinical jobs.