COMBINED SERVICES PLASTIC SURGERY SOCIETY MEETING 25-26th November 2021
1. The Combined Services Plastic Surgery Society annual meeting will be taking place on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 November 2021. The venue this year will be the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton, Europe’s largest museum of Naval Aviation and the resting place of Concorde. RNAS Yeovilton is an active rotary and fixed wing military airfield and is home to the Wildcats, the Commando Helicopter Force, and the Army’s Aviation Reconnaissance Force.
2. The theme and focus for this year will be ‘Above and Beyond’, focusing on Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of the Head and Neck and how advancing technology is improving patient care.
3. A full academic day will be held on the Thursday 25 November. This year the abstract submission will be selective and may be awarded with either a podium presentation or poster. We also invite attendees to submit posters they have presented elsewhere.
4. The academic day will be followed by a mess dinner in the HMS Heron Wardroom. Food choices are detailed in annex A. This is a Royal Naval Wardroom and as such Royal Naval traditions will be observed for the dinner.
5. Trainee interviews and a series of presentations in the Gallery Bar and the Taranto Room at the HMS Heron Wardroom will be held on the morning of Friday 26 November.
6. Accommodation is severely restricted at HMS Heron due to Covid-19 Aircrew contingency planning, and bookings are not permitted until 2 months prior to the required date. An attempt will be made at this stage to secure a block booking of as many rooms as possible, which will then be issued by seniority and promptness of returns. If this is not forthcoming in sufficient quantity attendees will be instructed to apply for accommodation via their home units’ T&S and Non-Availability Certificates. Notification of the requirement for this will be ASAP following this decision point. Civilian personnel are advised that accommodation is available in the nearby town of Ilchester.
7. Abstracts should be submitted before Mon 20 September by e-mail to academic@cspss.co.uk and are expected from all regular trainees (title, author(s) and paragraph of up to 140 words). Other interested medical personnel are also welcome to submit abstracts. I would particularly like to see some presentations from the Nursing cadre and Reservists.
8. The registration fee for the Thursday academic day will be £30, for the Regimental Dinner £70, or for both £85. There is a reduced rate for Junior Ranks of Thursday academic day £20, Regimental Dinner £20, or both £30.
11. Personnel wishing to attend the meeting are to register with the Society Secretary, Nicky (Lt Col Cubison’s PS), including their dietary requirements by completing ANNEX A. Travel and Subsistence is through own unit, and details of private vehicles should also be forwarded to Nicky. The registration fee can be paid:
1. By cheque payable to CSPSS and sent to Nicky Bianco, Adams Cottage, Sweethaws, Crowborough, TN6 3SS
2. By bank transfer: Bank: NatWest; a/c name: CSPSS; a/c nr: 59562633, s/c:60-21-49
3. By credit card / debit card / PayPal on the delegates page of our website, www.cspss.co.uk (details from Nicky).
12. Dress for the meeting will be working dress for delegates, service dress or equivalent for presenters and mess dress or black tie for the dinner (full length dresses with covered shoulders).
13. To enable efficient organisation of the event, meeting administration is best sent by e-mail to Nicky at sec@cspss.co.uk and matters concerning the academic programme to Surg Lt Cdr Llewellyn Thomas RN at academic@cspss.co.uk. The CSPSS website can be found at www.cspss.co.uk. Details will be posted of the programme and administrative arrangements, and the link to pay the registration fee by credit/debit card or PayPal. It is also possible to access information about previous meetings, should you wish to share this with potential guests.
14. There is a risk that the ongoing pandemic and the subsequent restrictions result in the cancellation of the event. In this eventuality it will be conducted as a virtual meeting, details of which will follow should this become necessary.
15. The Fleet Air Arm Museum is situated approximately 300m from the HMS Heron Wardroom along an attractive tree lined promenade, facilitating transport arrangements for those staying in the Wardroom. It is also possible for attendees to leave their vehicles overnight at the Museum Car Park, however access to the vehicle will not be possible between 6pm and 8am the following morning.