Scouse & Scholars: NRAS at the BSR Conference

Blog by Geoff West

^{The NRAS team in front of the NRAS backdrop and stand in the exhibit hall.}

Last week, a small handful of the NRAS team attended the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) Conference. In case you didn’t know, the BSR is a nationwide membership organisation for the UK’s rheumatology healthcare professionals. The conference offers rheumatology professionals a platform to exchange knowledge, delve into research findings, and share best practices in the field of rheumatology – all under one roof for the 3-day event.

This year, the conference was held in Liverpool – specifically in the beautiful dockside area of the city, which is full of history, interesting architecture and a vibrant array of shops and restaurants. A particular shout out to Rough Handmade Bakery who fuelled half the team with their incredible handmade pastries and coffees each morning! Right outside our hotel was the iconic Wheel of Liverpool, a huge centre piece Ferris wheel right in the heart of the dockside, as well as the Liverpool Exhibition Centre/ACC which is where the event was held.

As always, NRAS had a stand at the conference, giving us a perfect platform to interact with all the attendees. This year, our focus was on our Right Start patient referral service and showing how NRAS can be the team member that many in the healthcare system desperately need!

^{A lovely meal at Gusto Italian with our Professional Advisory Board.}

While the event was full on, we also seized the chance to catch up with some of our fantastic Professional Advisory Board, who were also in attendance at the conference. This not only gave some of our newer members of the NRAS team an opportunity to meet them, but also gave Clare a chance to say goodbye and thank them for all their hard work over the years, before she departs for the Emerald Isles in July.

Having previously attended in 2022 in Glasgow, this was not my first BSR event – however, for many of the team this was their first experience. The feedback from our debrief sessions has been very positive and we will definitely have a presence at next year’s event in Manchester!

Want to find out more about more research and new findings within the rheumatology space? Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more and keep your eyes peeled for another blog later this month, where we will be sharing some of our best takeaways from the sessions available during our time in Liverpool.