Acute Medicine: Sharper Skills, Smarter Systems - St Andrew's Day Symposium
Thursday 26 - Friday 27 November 2026
Conferences & Symposia
Thu 26 - Fri 27 Nov 2026
| 2 Day Event
Thu 08:55 - Fri 17:00
Hybrid
Activity code:
14 CPD credits applied for
Are you a Fellow or a Member? Sign in to get member prices
Overview
Don't miss the RCPE's 66th flagship St Andrew's Day Acute Medicine symposium, a two-day event designed to inform, inspire, and equip clinicians working across the acute medical landscape. The exciting programme offers sessions led by leading clinicians, flexible learning opportunities, and practical insights for daily clinical care. This symposium can be enjoyed online or in person, which allows for the valuable opportunity to catch up with colleagues.
Description
Across both days, you will learn from nationally and internationally recognised specialists, gaining practical tools, clinical updates, and new perspectives.
Participants will have the opportunity to tailor their learning through parallel sessions.
Who is this event for?
Whether you’re an experienced consultant or early in your acute medicine career, this conference offers invaluable professional development and the opportunity to help shape the future of acute care.
- Medics of any grade
- Allied health professionals, including nursing and pharmacy colleagues
Attending the event
Join us in Edinburgh this November to experience the conference atmosphere first-hand. Enjoy networking with colleagues, exploring historic streets, and discovering the city’s festive charm as Christmas lights and markets appear.
Organising Committee
Dr Andrew Storey, Chair
Dr Robert Caslake
Dr Nicole Haggarty
Dr Susan McGeoch
Dr Iona McKenzie
Dr Robin Smith
Dr Ish Thethy
Not a Member of RCPE? By joining the College, you can save up to 100% on event fees for our symposia, courses and Evening Medical Update programme. Find out more about joining the College and our membership benefits via our membership webpages.
Thursday 26 November 2026
| 08:30 | Registration |
|---|---|
| 08:55 | Welcome Professor Mark Strachan, President, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
Session 1 - Designing the modern patient journey
Chair: Professor Brian Wood, Adult Medicine Division President, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
| 09:00 | Hospital at home and virtual wards Professor Graham Ellis, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Scottish Government * history * impact * challenges * the future |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Same day emergency care Dr Charlotte Routh, Consultant in Acute Medicine and Head of Service Acute Medicine, Life Long Care Strategy Lead, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust * why we need more of it * current practice * future trends * in an ideal world |
| 10:00 | First contact: how artificial intelligence (AI) can shape the patient’s journey * current practice * AI triage * non-clinical roles * clinical roles * future trends * pitfalls |
| 10:30 | Break |
Session 2 - My approach to...
Chair: Dr Andrew Storey, Consultant Acute Physician, NHS Fife
| 11:00 | Pulmonary embolus Professor Colin Church, Consultant Pulmonologist and Pulmonary Vascular Physician, Golden Jubilee University Hospital, Glasgow |
|---|---|
| 11:30 | Cardiorenal syndrome Professor David Wheeler, Professor of Kidney Medicine, University College London |
| 12:00 | Liver failure Dr Mhairi Donnelly, Consultant Transplant Hepatologist, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh |
| 12:30 | Lunch/Break |
Keynote Lecture
Chair: Professor Mark Strachan, President, RCPE
| 13:30 | KEYNOTE LECTURE GLP1 receptor agonists: past, present and future Professor Alexander Miras, Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Ulster * historical perspective and background * current usage in both T2DM and obesity * effectiveness including cardiovascular and renal outcome data * interaction with private prescribing * pitfalls in acute presentations for the general physician * the future |
|---|---|
| 14:10 | Move to parallel session rooms |
Session 3 - Parallel sessions: Working smarter - tools, collaboration and better outcomes
Chairs:
Session A: Dr Susan McGeoch, Consultant Endocrinologist, NHS Grampian
Session B: Dr Robin Smith, Consultant Respiratory Physician, NHS Tayside
| Session A: Medical technology 1 | Session B: Teamworking | |
|---|---|---|
| 14:15 | Diabetes technology Dr Parizad Avari, Consultant Diabetologist, Imperial College London * updates in diabetes technology/ management of closed loop systems at the front door |
Leadership dynamics in high pressure environments Dr Monica Doyle, Consultant in Acute medicine and HDU, Associate Medical Director, NHS Tayside * personality, ego and team performance |
| 14:40 | Apps and software Dr Lewis Potter, BEM, Founder of Geeky Medics * tools to assist education, training and clinical practice |
Primary care interface: The front door is broken – and we’re all holding the handle Dr Scott Jamieson, GP Partner Kirriemuir & GP Lead for Primary Care in Tayside, Associate Medical Director for Angus HSCP * exploration of how demand, triage and system design are reshaping urgent care * how collaboration can improve flow, safety and patient outcomes |
| 15:05 | Break | |
Session 4 - A case that stays with me
Co-Chairs: Dr Susan McGeoch NHS Grampian and Dr Iona McKenzie, NHS Fife
| 15:30 | Dr Russell Everett, Consultant Cardiologist, NHS Fife |
|---|---|
| 16:00 | Dr Kirsten Kruszewski, Consultant Cardiologist and Dr Andrew Storey, Consultant Acute Physician, NHS Fife |
| 16:30 | Dr Bethan Griffith, Consultant Acute Physician, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
| 17:00 | Close of day 1 |
Friday 27 November 2026
| 08:30 | Registration |
|---|---|
| 08:55 | Welcome |
Session 1 - The obtunded brain
Chair: Dr Robert Caslake, Consultant Geriatrician, NHS Grampian
| 09:00 | New recreational drugs Dr Caroline Copeland, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology and Toxicology, King’s College London and Dr Tara Shivaji, Consultant in Public Health, Public Health Scotland * what current drug trends should the general physician be aware of? * what effects of these might require hospital treatment? * how might the management of other conditions be affected? |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Central nervous system (CNS) infection Dr Louise Davidson, Consultant Neurologist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh * acute presentation of CNS infection * the modern approach to treatment * potential pitfalls |
| 10:00 | Delirium Professor Alasdair MacLullich, Professor of Geriatric Medicine, University of Edinburgh * recognising delirium * which management strategies work? * which should we avoid? * designing services to account for people with delirium |
| 10:30 | Break |
Session 2 - Functional disorders: what every clinician should know
Chair: Dr Robin Smith, Consultant Respiratory Physician, NHS Tayside
| 11:00 | Functional neurological disease |
|---|---|
| 11:30 | Functional gastrointestinal disease Dr Maria Eugenicos, Consultant Gastroenterologist, NHS Lothian |
| 12:00 | Functional respiratory disease Professor James Hull, Consultant Respiratory Physician, Royal Brompton Hospital, London |
| 12:30 | Lunch/Break |
Keynote Lecture
Chair: Professor Mark Strachan, President, RCPE
| 13:30 | AI: the next medical revolution? * current state of the art * threats * opportunities * predictions |
|---|---|
| 14:10 | Move to parallel session rooms |
Session 3 - Parallel sessions: Learning in real time - new technology and front door teaching
Chairs:
Session C: Dr Andrew Storey, Consultant Acute Physician, NHS Fife
Session D: Dr Nicole Haggarty, Acute Internal Medicine Registrar, NHS Fife/NHS Lothian
| Parallel Session C: Education |
Parallel Session D: Medical technology 2 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 14:15 | Undergraduate teaching at the front door Dr Carl Heffernan, Sub-Dean, Southampton Medical School & Consultant in Acute Medicine, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust |
Instant insight - ultrasound in acute care Dr Nick Smallwood, Consultant Acute Physician, East Surrey Hospital & Founder and Chair, Focused Acute Medicine Ultrasound (FAMUS) working group * how it can change practice at front door * future of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) |
| 14:40 | Postgraduate teaching at the front door Dr Kelham Slinger, Consultant in Acute Medicine, Royal Bournemouth Hospital & former SAM Education Committee Lead |
Cardiac monitoring: wearables in practice |
| 15:05 | Break | |
Session 4 - Topical concerns for patients and for doctors – serious fears, uncertain answers
Chair: Dr Kirsten Kruszewski, Consultant Cardiologist, NHS Fife
| 15:30 | Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome |
|---|---|
| 16:00 | Headaches Dr James McDonald, Consultant Neurologist, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy |
| 16:30 | Lyme disease Dr Sally Mavin, Clinical Scientist, NHS Highland, Inverness |
| 17:00 | Closing remarks |
Not a Member of RCPE? By joining the College, you can save up to 100% on event fees for our symposia, courses and Evening Medical Update programme. Find out more about joining the College and our membership benefits via our membership webpages.
Become a member of the College today and save at least £155 on St Andrew's Day attendance fees.
Attendance options
RCPE are delighted to welcome delegates in-person, in the College, or to register for online only attendance.
All delegates will have catch-up access to all talks for 28 days following the live event.
| Registration fees for In-person, Online or Catch-up attendance | Fee for one day £ | Fee for two days £ |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Fee | £240 | £460 |
| RCPE Fellow, Collegiate & Associate Member | £170 | £305 |
| Allied Health Professionals | £120 | £220 |
| RCPE Retired Fellow and RCPE Foundation Member | £90 | £160 |
| RCPE Fellow in low or lower-middle income country - Online attendance only | £0 | £0 |
| RCPE Student member - Online attendance only | £0 | £0 |
| RCPE Student member - In-person attendance -fee covers catering costs |
£40 | £75 |
Long term / other leave: Fellows and Members of RCPE, please contact the Symposium Co-ordinator as some discretion may be available.
Trainees: Scotland Deanery medical specialty trainees can attend any number of eligible symposia for a one-off payment from their study leave budget via the Block Grant Scheme (block grant scheme)
Fellows Vouchers: If you’d like to use your RCPE Fellows Voucher to attend this symposium please contact bookings@rcpe.ac.uk.
Unpaid post: If an RCPE Member please provide confirmation of status to the event coordinator in order to access this event for free.
Refugee doctors: Free places are available to refugee doctors who are Associate Members of RCPE, please contact the event coordinator for more information. Associate Membership for refugee doctors is available free of charge, please visit our membership pages for more information on how to join the College as a refugee doctor.
Invoices
If you wish your employer/organisation to be invoiced for this event, please contact the Event Coordinator. Payment via invoice is not available for online booking.
Cancellation policy
If you have to cancel your place within 14 days of this event, we regret that we are unable to provide a refund.
If you are no longer able to attend in-person, you can still view the event online. The event will be available to view on-demand for 28 days after the live event, therefore, there is still opportunity to view the talks if you are not able to attend on the day.
Booking Terms & Conditions
Booking Terms & Conditions: Please read the College’s full event booking Ts&Cs regarding event changes, CPD, and data protection in the event policies section on our Event FAQ pages.
Certificates
All relevant events are approved for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). To receive a CPD certificate delegates must have completed the online feedback survey. The survey will close 28 days after the original broadcast of the event on 25 December 2026, with certificates being issued shortly after this.
Certificates cannot be issued after the survey has closed.
Catch-up
Registered delegates can view this event on catch-up for up to 28 days following the live event until, i.e. until 25 December 2026. Please note that in line with Federation rules, the CPD period is 28 days from the live event. To obtain a CPD certificate you must have completed the online feedback survey by 25 December 2026.
If you are unable to attend this event live but would like to view this event for 28 days post-event and qualify for a CPD certificate (if feedback is completed), please register before the live event is due to take place in order to be given access. It is not possible to register for catch-up viewing after the live event has taken place.
Joining us in the College
Delegate notice: This event is being recorded – film, audio, and photography – these recordings may be used in the College’s digital and printed publicity material or on our digital education platforms. If you do not wish to be recorded, please let a member of staff know.
Access: A wheelchair lift and internal lift are in place at the College, allowing access to the conference centre and historic rooms. However, as a listed building, there are some meeting rooms that have restricted access. For further information and assistance, please contact the event coordinator responsible for the event.
Prayer and Parent room: We provide a prayer room at all our hybrid/In-person events, and a member of staff will be able to direct you to this space on the day of the event. We can also provide a parent room at our events where required. If you are interested in this facility, please contact the event coordinator.
Commercial Sponsorship: Many events are supported by commercial companies taking exhibition space. Health professionals and NHS Managers are invited to visit the company stands during the breaks. Companies interested in sponsoring this, or other events listed on our event pages should contact the event coordinator.
Exhibitors/Sponsors play no part in the planning or delivery of our events, and the College has developed an Ethical Sponsorship Policy to support organising committees and committee chairs in their negotiations with potential commercial partners for education and other events.
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Event information
Conferences & Symposia
Thu 26 - Fri 27 Nov 2026
| 2 Day Event
Thu 08:55 - Fri 17:00
Hybrid
Activity code:
14 CPD credits applied for
Are you a Fellow or a Member? Sign in to get member prices
Sign in to get member prices