National Telecare and Telehealth Conference 2009

The National Telecare and Telehealth Conference 2009, which took place at the London Hilton Metropole on 16 to 18 November, was a resounding success, with a record breaking 814 attendees, a 26% increase on last year.

The Exhibition Zone (EZ) opened, and exhibitors got their first visitors, as delegates arrived and registered prior to conference opening. This year, the Exhibition Zone featured 40 stands, and the new-look shell scheme was welcomed by all.

The Conference was opened by Dame Joan Bakewell, with the strongly made point to keep telecare and telehealth about the person, not about the technology. Joining Dame Joan on the speaker platform on the Monday afternoon were Imelda Redmond, from Carers UK, Simon Roberts, from Intel Digital Health, Stephen Wey from CEEAT and David Behan, from the Department of Health. The afternoon plenaries were rounded off with a question and answer session, which put the speakers in the hot seat, and gave the audience a chance to delve a little deeper into some of the issues discussed during the presentations. Following the plenary sessions, Dame Joan made a short visit to the Exhibition Zone, where she was able to see some of the technologies first hand, and find out a little more about how technologies and the consumer interface from a TSA member perspective.

The Networking Dinner gave delegates their first chance to let their hair down. Following the delicious meal, TSA board members David Ardron and Fran Taberner presented awards to twenty-nine organisations who had achieved recent accreditation to the Telecare Code of Practice. Diners were also entertained by magicians Chris Dugdale and Phil Jay, and the evening closed with Opera Tottie.

Tuesday was a busy day, full of plenary sessions and workshops. Malcolm Fisk, TSA�s Chair, welcomed delegates to a morning filled with expert speakers from across the UK and the USA. Tim Ellis gave an update of the Whole System Demonstrator Programme, and was followed by Janice E Knoefel, MD, MPH who gave an in-depth review of the Management of Chronic Medical Conditions via Telehealth within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Clive Evers from the Alzheimer�s Society gave a thought provoking overview of how individuals with dementia could benefit from assistive technology and telecare, and Richard Foggie rounded off the morning with an upbeat presentation on Digital Britain.

The Exhibition Zone (EZ) became a hub of activity as delegates flooded in. The number of exhibitors was the largest yet, and the breadth of exhibitors, new technologies and services, created a real buzz amongst the delegates.

The afternoon saw the start of the workshop programme. With a choice of 27 workshops from three menus, delegates could tailor-make their programme to suit their own needs. Despite the size of the venue, the TSA team and ambassadors, worked hard to make sure that delegates found their way to their workshop destinations. After a return visit to the Exhibition Zone, to visit more stands, hold more meetings, and replenish themselves with coffee, delegates went to their final workshop of the day.

The Gala Dinner, always a highlight of the conference, did not disappoint. The service from the Hilton was excellent, and following Stephen Amos, a comedian with an acid wit, the diners were wowed by Star, the swing band, who had the dance floor filled until they finished at 12.30am. Networking continued until the early hours.

Wednesday morning began with the last of the workshops from Menu C. Exhibition only passes had been issued, and these visitors arrived throughout the morning. At 11.45am the Monarch Suite was filled with an air of anticipation, as the mystery guest motivational speaker was introduced by Paul Gee. Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the world�s greatest explorer, wowed the crowd with his tales of intrepid adventure and fortitude. Conference closed, as it opened, on a high and delegates and exhibitors made their way home after a full, and hopefully fulfilling, three days.