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Best Practice Birmingham 2023 Logo

Dates

09 - 10 October 2024
NEC Birmingham

Dates

09 - 10 October 2024
NEC Birmingham
Co-Located Events

Access & Inclusion

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Working toward access and inclusion for all

The organisers of Best Practice Birmingham are putting access and inclusion high on the agenda for this year's event. With that in mind, we would like to highlight a range of initiatives in support of this, along with further clarification on our overall admissions policy.

Striving towards access and inclusion for all is no easy task...it's a very long road and we're only at the beginning of the journey, so first and foremost we do kindly ask for patience and forbearance - if there is anything we can do that will make your experience of our event better that isn't covered by the measures we've already introduced, please get in touch and we will try our best to accommodate your request.

Admissions Policy

Our overarching admissions policy remains the same:

"Best Practice Birmingham is a business event exclusively for registered healthcare professionals and other personnel currently working within general practice. Minors (those under the age of 18) are not permitted to enter the event. There are no crèche facilities available at the show."

This has been our long-standing policy based on the following considerations:

  • Best Practice is a business-to-business event for registered healthcare professionals only.
  • The exhibition floor is a crowded space with many potential hazards for young children.
  • ABPI rules dictate that non-healthcare professionals should not be exposed to marketing/prescribing information from pharmaceutical companies.
  • All delegates attending should be able to enjoy an undisrupted experience of the event, and in particular our educational programme.

Anyone who, for whatever reason, is unable to attend Best Practice Birmingham is reminded that you can contact all of our exhibitors via our Exhibitor List and session recordings from this year's conference programme will be made available via this website after the event.

Exceptions to this Policy

We are fully sympathetic to the demands on working parents who wish to attend Best Practice, and with that in mind, we are able to make the following exceptions to our admissions policy:

Parents/guardians of nursing babies/infants are allowed to attend Best Practice Birmingham with their babies/infants under the following conditions:

  • The nursing babies/infants should remain safely seated within a pram/pushchair at all times (with the exception of when nursing/comforting).
  • Nursing babies/infants should never be left unattended.
  • Parents/guardian of nursing babies/infants should not ask or expect anyone else to supervise their children.
  • Parents/guardians of nursing babies/infants may be politely asked to leave a conference session if the babies'/infants' presence is disrupting the session.
  • Parent/guardians of nursing babies/infants bring their children to the event entirely at their own risk and responsibility.

Parents/guardians of nursing babies/infants should note that, in addition to the facilities provided by the venue, there will be an area within Best Practice for nursing/feeding.

Accessibility Improvements at Best Practice Birmingham

In order to make Best Practice Birmingham more accessible, we have introduced the following initiatives:
Wheelchair Access

Wheelchair Access

To allow easier access to the event for wheelchair users, our event has dropped registration counters, allocated wheelchair spaces for delegates in our theatres and added ramps to the stages for speakers. NEC Birmingham also has a fleet of mobility equipment available for hire on a first-come, first-served basis. Enquiries should be made direct to the venue via email.

Disabled toilets can be found inside the exhibition hall (Hall 4), located to the side and rear of the hall.

Hearing Loops

Hearing Loops

All theatres at the event are equipped with either fixed or portable hearing loops, allowing everyone to access our educational speaker sessions.

If you need any assistance using either the fixed or portable hearing loops, please speak to a member of our theatre staff.

Quiet Room

Quiet Rooms are important for creating a safe space that’s more inclusive not only for neurodivergent people but also neurotypical, allowing both to thrive at events as one. 

This includes

  • Meditation Zone: up to 4 individual seats with device offering meditation, ASMR, white, pink and brown noise, and noise cancelling WiFi headset
  • Mindfulness Zone: table and chairs with mindful colouring books, puzzle books and jigsaws
  • Relaxation Zone: bean bags, floor cushions and noise-cancelling ear muffs
  • Disco Nap Zone: sofa, coffee table, textured cushions, eye masks, neck pillows, weighted blankets, noise cancelling ear muffs

It is in partnership with EventWell - visit their website to find out more: https://eventwell.org/

Baby/Infant Nursing Facilities

Whilst NEC Birmingham has a number of baby changing and feeding facilities throughout the main areas of the venue. There is no dedicated feeding facilities within Hall 4 (where Best Practice Birmingham is located). With this in mind, we have introduced an enclosed nursing area within the exhibition hall that will provide dignified and private space for nursing parents to feed their babies/infants.

Please note that there are baby changing facilities located within the disabled toilets located in Hall 4 at the side and rear of the hall.

Nursing parents or guardians

Facilities and amenities provided by the venue

The following is a summary of amenities and facilities provided by NEC Birmingham. More details can be found on their website.

Arriving and access: train and car

Train: NEC Birmingham is connected to Birmingham International Train Station via a covered 'Bridgelink' and is fully accessible for wheelchair users by provision of lifts and automatic sliding doors.

Car/Taxi: Blue Badge Holders can make use of the venue's drop-off / pick-up areas and disabled car parks.

Please visit the NEC Birmingham website for more information.

Baby changing and feeding

NEC Birmingham has a variety of baby changing and feeding facilities spread throughout the venue.

Facilities include: nappy machines, bottle warming machines and screened-off breast-feeding areas.

For more information, you can download their Baby Change & Feeding Leaflet here.

Accessible toilet facilities

Accessible toilets are available across the venue. Changing Places facilities are also available.

Changing Places facilities provide space for up to 2 carers - and extra features to meet additional needs, including height adjustable adult-sized changing benches and a hoist system.

Download the Piazza/Atrium Map for a list of all accessible facilities.

Prayer room

The NEC has a Multi-Faith Prayer Room available for prayer, reflection or meditation - located on the Piazza (Halls 1-5) next to the chaplaincy office.

It has a washing facility, prayer mats, holy books and other resources for prayer which have been donated by representatives of local faiths.

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