Dear member,

After careful consideration we have decided to cancel the spring meeting of the Neonatal Society which was planned for 20th March 2020.

As you know, COVID-19 infections are expected to surge over the coming weeks. Some of our members work in institutions that are advising against travel, others have an understandable reluctance to travel, and some are being called to ready themselves for additional duties and/or extended roles in frontline NHS services. It is paramount that we do all we can to minimise risk to the health of our members, and to protect the workforce. The change in UK government advice that is expected later today, together with statements from the UK CMO’s and WHO yesterday, have led us to conclude that a community gathering of doctors for a scientific meeting next week would be imprudent. Therefore the spring meeting will not go ahead at the Royal Society of Medicine on 20th March.

We will invite our two guest lecturers, Professors Tim Nawrot and Deborah Lawlor, to a future meeting; and we will prioritise the 16 abstracts that had been selected for presentation at our autumn meeting on 5th November.

Should you have any concerns then we would, of course, be very happy to be contacted.

We thank you for your understanding and hope that you and your families stay well over the coming weeks.

Best wishes,

James Boardman, President
Karen Luyt, Meetings Secretary

On behalf of The committee of the Neonatal Society