Delegate information

Monday 19 May, 7.30pm, ICC Birmingham

The ABS Annual Dinner will take place at the ICC Birmingham and start with a welcome drink from 7.30pm for an 8.00pm dinner.

The 2025 conference dinner will be ‘Bollywood’ themed and include the chance to learn some of the latest dance steps from local experts, as well as an Indian themed menu.

The evening will end with a traditional disco.

The Media Suite has a designated space for anyone who may have an infant with them at conference. This room is accessible on Monday
and Tuesday from 8am until the close of day and there will be a relay of the slides and sound from sessions taking place in Hall 1.

There is a cloakroom for general use on the ground floor of the ICC. Additional space will be made available for luggage on Tuesday. The cloakroom is always attended by a member of ICC staff; please note, however, that items are left at your own risk.

Any queries should be directed to the appointed Professional Conference Organisers, (PCO) Profile Productions. 

Call: + 44 (0) 20 3725 5840

Email: abs@profileproductions.co.uk 

The Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland have awarded a total of 15 points per day for this two-day conference:
Monday 19th May 8 points
Tuesday 20th May 7 points
Attendance certificates will be emailed to delegates after the conference, and you will be able to download them from the ABS website.

A delegate list is available on the conference app. This includes the names of delegates who have consented to have their details uploaded. If you wish to add your details to the delegate list during the conference, you can do so on the app, there is a form to complete. Once the app has refreshed your details will appear. The password for delegates to access the delegate list is: Birmingham25

Lunch and refreshments will be served in Hall 3 at the times shown in this programme. There is a dedicated area for any delegates who may have questions relating to special meal and dietary requests. Vegetarian and plant-based options are available from the main catering points in the Hall 3 and we have catered accordingly to dietary requests given at the time of booking. For any medical students, speakers and other non-HCP attendees, please ensure that you enter Hall 3 via the doors on Level 5 and have your refreshments and lunch on the Balcony area. This is due to strict ABPI rules.

A small meeting will take place on Monday 19th May between 15.25 – 15.55 for any medical students attending the conference. This will take place in Executive Room 1, located on Level 5.

A photographer will be taking images of the conference during the event for use by the ABS in future publications, the ABS website and social media posts. If you do not wish to be included in any of these, please speak to a member of the team at the Registration desk and you will be given a different coloured lanyard to avoid inclusion in any photographs.

In addition to posters being available to look at during all refreshment and lunch breaks, there are two author attended poster sessions during which we encourage authors to be available for questions relating to their work, these are specifically Monday afternoon between 15.25 and 15.55 and Tuesday mid-morning from 10.15 – 10.45. Don’t forget you can also look at the posters during the Welcome reception on Monday evening from 18.00.

Registration will be open in Hall 3 Foyer on Level 4 at the following times:
Sunday 18th May 15.00 – 19.00
Monday 19th May 07:30 to 19:00
Tuesday 20th May 07:45 to 17:00

Please note: The ABS Conference 2025 is now at capacity and there will be no onsite registration for new delegates.

All delegates are encouraged to come and visit the new ABS selfie hub area, with a dedicated photo booth for you to be able to take and share your experiences of the 2025 conference in Birmingham. Don’t forget to include the conference hashtag: #ABSConference2025

Speakers’ Corner

This year for the first time we have introduced a dedicated area in the exhibition, to give all conference delegates an equal opportunity to interact with our guest speakers should they have specific unanswered questions after the sessions.

Monday morning refreshment break:

• Mr Yazan Masannat
• Dr Sue Hartup
• Professor Michael Gnant
• Dr Nicola Rocco
• Professor Nazanin Derakhshan

Monday lunchtime (13:00 - 13:20):

• Mr Alastair Thompson
• Ms Jennifer Hu
• Professor Pedro Gouveia
• Professor María João Cardoso
• Professor Andreas Karakatsanis

Monday afternoon refreshment break:

• Professor John Benson
• Professor Lynda Wyld
• Professor Bahadir M. Gulluoglu
• Ms Lesley Stephen

Tuesday morning refreshment break:

• Professor Cliona Kirwan
• Miss Katy Ellis
• Ms Masooma Zaidi
• Dr John Conibear
• Dr Anna Kirby
• Dr Anne Armstrong

There are a number of sponsored sessions for you to attend this year, to hear from our key industry partners and experts, your support in attending these sessions is very much appreciated. Please refer to the main printed programme or the conference app for more details.

Sunday 18 May 6pm, ICC Birmingham

The ABS evening drinks reception is open to all attendees and will take place on Sunday 18 May.

The reception will take place in the Atrium at the ICC Birmingham between 6pm – 8pm and is the perfect opportunity to catch up with colleagues and friends. 

Webcasts of most of the conference presentations will be available in due course in the members’ area on the ABS website.

Monday 19 May - 6pm, ICC Birmingham

Join your colleagues in the exhibition on Monday evening from 6pm to enjoy a drink and networking and take some time to view the posters.

Everyone is welcome and attendance is included in your registration fee.

Fancy a little time out? Then come along to this area located in the Exhibition Hall where you will find some relaxing music to listen to, a chance to relax with some colouring, which is good for few moments of mindfulness, or simply come and relax in one of the bean bags.

The conference will take place at the ICC Birmingham (8 Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA)