*Important Information BACO 2020
04 December 2019
To all of our members: I hope this message finds you well. I am sure everybody is following developments around the spread of COVID-19 very closely, and is aware of the challenges the situation is likely to pose to medical professionals and the health service over the coming months, not least those who work in ENT.
Speaking on behalf of ENT UK, the health of our members and of the general public is our chief concern as an organisation, and we are prepared to do everything we can to help our members with the difficulties we are all likely to face in the months ahead. It is important for all surgeons, at this difficult time, to pull together and do what we can to alleviate the crisis facing the health sector and all of our colleagues within it.
To this end, The Royal College of Anaesthetists is currently developing a website dedicated to high-quality information about COVID-19, aimed specifically at medical personnel, which we believe will be a useful resource to ENT surgeons and other health professionals working with infected patients. On the ENT UK website, meanwhile, we are publishing elements of an integrated infection control strategy, including an algorithm outlining emergency patient treatment, which we hope will prove helpful to ENT staff facing relevant cases.
Furthermore, in light of the statement released by the four surgical Royal Colleges of the UK and Ireland this morning, ENT UK and the BACO executive have taken the decision to postpone July’s BACO conference until a later date. I am sure all of our members will currently be taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their families, colleagues and patients, and will understand the necessity of this measure. When the conference is rescheduled, we will of course honour all existing attendee bookings, and will be able to help delegates with refunds where necessary. We greatly appreciate your support, along with your understanding and patience in unprecedented circumstances.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.