Millbrook successfully delivered the SCTS Annual Meeting 2025 on behalf of the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland.
Millbrook Medical Conferences (Millbrook) successfully delivered the SCTS Annual Meeting 2025 on behalf of the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland (SCTS). Taking place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre from Sunday 16 to Tuesday 18 March 2025, this flagship three-day event brought together over 1,200 delegates across all stages of the cardiothoracic surgery profession.
With an expansive scientific programme, over 50 sponsors and a complex multi-track agenda, the SCTS Annual Meeting stands as one of the most significant events in the UK cardiothoracic calendar.
Millbrook worked closely with SCTS to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of services that ensured a successful experience for delegates, faculty and sponsors alike. This included full event logistics, marketing support, faculty and delegate management, registration delivery, app development, and on-site coordination across multiple concurrent sessions and stakeholder groups.
The conference was structured across three key days:
Millbrook ensured that each delegate type—from consultants to medical students—received targeted communications, tailored registration options, and relevant session access.
Millbrook designed and managed a robust registration platform, accommodating complex group bookings, guest speaker pathways, and exclusive access to specialist sessions. The registration site was closely linked to the conference programme, developed in-line with abstract management software.
With over 500 abstracts submitted, abstract-driven sessions formed a significant portion of the event. The use of dedicated software enabled Millbrook and SCTS to efficiently manage programme creation, speaker scheduling, and communication with a large and diverse faculty. The platform’s filtering and search functions also allowed attendees to navigate the dense programme with ease.
A fully branded event app was developed, which acted as a central hub for:
To further encourage delegate participation, the app included interactive Q&A and live polling, along with speaker rating features and push notifications to guide attendees throughout the event.
“Very easy and staff at the meeting were excellent.”
“Easy with the app – much better than emails.”
Millbrook facilitated aspects of faculty logistics, including registration and on-site support. Guest speakers were offered a complimentary registration route through a hidden link, streamlining their onboarding experience.
With over 50 sponsors, Millbrook liaised with sponsors regarding registration and provided on-the-day support. To prepare for future scalability, a recommendation was made to implement enhanced scheduling software for improved sponsor task tracking and file sharing in 2026.
A large Millbrook team was deployed on-site across the three-day event to manage multiple registration desks, badge kiosks, exhibition build support, and troubleshooting. Despite a few location-based challenges with the self-serve kiosks, the team ensured all delegates received a smooth and welcoming experience.
Delegates praised the convenience and speed of the on-site experience, as well as the effectiveness of the app in navigating such a comprehensive programme.
“Flawless process. Smooth, efficient, and the machines were easy to use.”
An evaluation survey was distributed to all attendees, with 433 responses submitted.
Key Highlights:
“Overall, this was an exceptionally well run conference. The location and facilities were excellent. The quality of the talks and plenary speakers was very high and I felt motivated to take the learning back into my own practice.”
Millbrook’s comprehensive approach to managing the SCTS Annual Meeting 2025 ensured the seamless delivery of a highly complex and prestigious event. From multifaceted registration management and app development to high-level faculty support and sponsor coordination, Millbrook met every challenge with professionalism and strategic planning.
Key outcomes included:
Millbrook’s attention to detail, flexibility, and commitment to quality played a critical role in ensuring that the 2025 Annual Meeting not only upheld the reputation of SCTS but also set a new standard for delegate experience and event innovation.
The event received outstanding feedback from both delegates and faculty, reinforcing its importance within the cardiothoracic surgical community. With a strategic plan for continuous improvement, including earlier app development and enhanced sponsor communications, the 2026 meeting is well-positioned for even greater success.