Navigating BHRSessions 2024 Amidst the Junior Doctors’ Strike

Millbrook Medical Conferences (Millbrook) launched its partnership with the British Heart Rhythm Society (BHRS) in early 2023, with the first Millbrook-organised event being the BHRS Hands-on Simulator Training Day and EP Traces Day in November, known as BHRSimulation.

The BHRS plans to host three key meetings annually: BHRSessions, BHRSimulation, and BHRSymposium.

The partnership continued in 2024 with the inaugural BHRS Scientific Sessions (BHRSessions), held from Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 February at The Midland Hotel, Manchester. The event kicked off with bolt-on training days on Monday 26 February, featuring an Arrhythmia Nurses Day and a Hands-on Simulator Training Day, followed by parallel sessions throughout the week focusing on research and physiology, and concluding with an EP Traces Day on Thursday 29 February.

Recognising the complexity of organising such a major event, and building on the success of BHRSimulation, the BHRS entrusted Millbrook Medical Conferences to manage the entire process—from planning to execution.

BHRSessions drew 159 attendees and 69 faculty members, while the Arrhythmia Nurses Day welcomed 50 attendees. The Hands-on Simulator Training Day saw 53 participants, and the EP Traces Day attracted 41 delegates.

Event Overview

BHRSessions – 27-29 February

The BHRSessions, an exclusive event for BHRS members, provided crucial education and updates to arrhythmia professionals and trainees. The programme covered a range of topics, including EP ablation, devices, ICC, ACHD, and research. It catered to consultant electrophysiologists, fellows, investigators, cardiac physiologists, nurses, and BHRS exam candidates. To ensure accessibility, bursaries were offered for both registration and travel/accommodation expenses for those who were unable to secure funding from their trust.

As part of the BHRSessions, arrhythmia professionals were invited to submit abstracts showcasing their work in arrhythmias and implantable devices. Submissions, which could include short reports of scientific studies, audits, and case reports, were required to be up to 500 words with a maximum of one figure and submitted via the BHRS website. The accepted work was presented on digital poster presentation boards at the BHRSessions. Additionally, physician authors under 40 at the time of submission, those in training, or allied professionals were eligible for the Young Investigator Award. Four shortlisted applicants presented their work on the stage in the main meeting room to a panel of judges. The winner was announced at the drinks reception.

The event, led by Dr John Paisey, Dr Fozia Ahmed, Dr Vishal Luther and Prof. Pier Lambiase, was designed not only to provide education but also to accommodate the specific needs of various professionals within the arrhythmia field, including those with limited time due to the demands of their roles in the NHS.

Arrhythmia Nurses Day – Monday 26 February

Held the day before BHRSessions, the Arrhythmia Nurses Day covered topics such as the AF surgical pre-admission pathway, NOAH study outcomes, new anti-arrhythmic drugs, AF commissioning, PROMs in AF, autonomic dysfunction, dronedarone data, BHRS accreditation, and an ECG workshop with cases and traces.

Hands-on Simulator Training Day – Monday 26 February

Led by Dr Jonathan Behar, attendees experienced an intensive day of hands-on training in a range of different device and EP ablation therapy, tailored for core and arrhythmia cardiology trainees, as well as healthcare scientists. With over 25 training stations from various sponsoring companies, participants enjoyed focused, personalised instruction in their areas of interest. They chose the stations that best suited their needs prior, ensuring a truly hands-on experience.

EP Traces Day – Thursday 29 February

Clinical programme lead Dr Simon Modi welcomed SpRs, physiologists, and consultants looking to “brush up” on their skills for an interactive day dedicated to exploring EP traces. The day was ideal for participants who had spent some time in the EP lab and wanted to sharpen their diagnostic skills and deepen their understanding of EP.

Throughout the day, attendees were encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, actively engage, and describe the activity in the traces—all within an open and supportive atmosphere.

Objectives

• Organise BHRSessions and bolt-on training days: Ensure smooth execution from planning through to completion.
• Address Junior Doctor Strike: Acknowledge the announced strike from Saturday 24 – Wednesday 28 February and offer alternative arrangements to mitigate its impact on in-person attendance.
• Personalise Timetables: Allow attendees to select their preferred training stations and create individualised agendas for the Hands-on Simulator Training Day.
• Offer Flexible Attendance: Provide a flexible schedule enabling attendees to choose specific days, accommodating their busy schedules and NHS staffing challenges.
• Offer a Broad Range of Content: Incorporate hands-on training, specialised sessions, digital poster presentation boards, and the latest updates in arrhythmia research.
• Ensure Venue Suitability: Select a venue with multiple breakout rooms and a layout that facilitates smooth movement between sessions for an optimal learning experience.
• Adjust Event Duration: Condense the originally planned five-day event to four days due to a course director’s committed work schedule, ensuring the content is delivered effectively without compromising quality.

The Solution

Millbrook brought a comprehensive suite of event management services to BHRSessions, ensuring smooth execution from registration management to attendee and faculty care. Millbrook collaborated closely with the programme committee and sponsoring companies to create a packed agenda featuring high-quality content and top-tier faculty.

In response to the Junior Doctor Strike announced less than a week before BHRSessions, Millbrook remained committed to holding the event in person for those who could attend. For those unable to join, a virtual option was provided, allowing participants to tune in live from cath labs and staff rooms as their schedules permitted. The interactive BHRS Education app, developed by Millbrook for the November BHRSimulation, facilitated virtual engagement, enabling attendees to explore the sponsor exhibition, view posters and abstracts, participate in live polling, engage in Q&A sessions, and even take part in a treasure hunt.

Throughout the BHRSessions, abstract submissions evolved into posters displayed on digital boards for attendee interaction during refreshments and lunch breaks in the exhibition area. Millbrook managed communications with participants, coordinated submissions, collected posters and slides, and forwarded selected materials to the audio-visual team for display.

Millbrook also handled travel arrangements for a high-profile international speaker from British Colombia, Canada, and all faculty accommodations, ensuring a seamless experience.

To further enhance accessibility, Millbrook offered attendees bursaries and provided hospitals with the option to pay via invoice, making the event inclusive and accommodating for all attendees.

Beyond the core BHRSessions, Millbrook organised additional days tailored to specific healthcare professionals, including the Arrhythmia Nurses Day, Hands-on Simulator Training Day, EP Traces Day, and a physiologists’ session with an exam and accreditation component. These sessions ran on Wednesday 28 February, parallel to BHRSessions, with attendance tracked via the BHRS app using QR code scans.

Millbrook coordinated with the seven sponsoring companies in advance to confirm the equipment and training they would offer at both core and advanced levels. Once the training stations were finalised, they were added as optional items in the registration platform. Registered delegates were then invited to update their preferences, selecting up to six stations for personalised training. Each station was designed to accommodate a small group for a tailored learning experience, with sessions lasting 30 minutes to an hour.

The Results

The inaugural BHRSessions and accompanying training days were met with overwhelmingly positive feedback for both content and presentation. Due to this success, Millbrook has been appointed to organise the 2025 edition in Scotland.

BHRSessions Survey Results:

• 94% of survey respondents found the event useful or extremely useful.
• 92% rated the programme as good or excellent.

Highlights included:

• “Sessions on LBBAP pacing and managing non-response in CRT patients were particularly helpful.”
• “All the speakers were dynamic, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable.”
• “Connecting with people and learning new concepts.”
• “Excellent organisation.”
• “Content was all relevant.”

Arrhythmia Nurses Day Feedback:

• “Refreshing to attend a course relevant to my practice, aimed specifically at nurses! So glad I attended and thoroughly enjoyed all the speakers.”
• “Meeting other arrhythmia nurses and hearing how everyone works differently.”
• “A cohort of arrhythmia nurses sharing best practices and service development ideas.”

Hands-on Simulator Training Day Feedback:

• “The small group hands-on sessions were excellent, providing everyone with an opportunity to participate.”
• “Stations were very interactive, with small groups that encouraged discussion and questions.”
• “Flexibility ensured that what I needed was available.”

EP Traces Day Highlights:

• “Good pace through the cases, thoroughly explained. Traces were interesting and relevant. Great to see analysis of 12-lead ECGs as well as EGMs. All three presenters were knowledgeable and engaging.”
• “The way speakers explained things to the audience.”
• “Excellent faculty.”

Millbrook looks forward to continuing its partnership with the British Heart Rhythm Society for future events.