Registration for the 51st annual UKMi conference is now open. Register here

Whilst we are using an external company for registration, you will still need a Purchase Order (see attached document for required details if not already on your Trust's system). If you don't have one when you book, you can still complete your registration, but please ensure you let us know the PO number as soon as possible.

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Venue

The conference is at the Newcastle Hilton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 4th and 5th November 2026.

The conference meal will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

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Accommodation and parking options

The UKMi organising committee have pulled together a list of reasonably priced local hotel and parking options; some may offer a discount. See the document below.

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Costs

We have worked hard to keep the costs as affordable as possible. We have an early bird rate again, which applies if you book on or before 11th September 2026. Full rates apply from 12th September. Note that these do not include accommodation costs. We will circulate a list of possible hotels soon:

Conference attendance Cost
Conference attendance on Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th November, including Wednesday dinner £275
Conference attendance on Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th November, no Wednesday dinner £265
Conference attendance on Wednesday 4th November, including Wednesday conference dinner £170
Conference attendance on Wednesday 4th November only (no evening conference dinner) £160
Conference attendance on Thursday 5th November, including Wednesday 4th November conference dinner £170
Conference attendance on Thursday 5th November only (no evening conference dinner) £160

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Posters

We had an excellent response to our call for posters. Full details on poster submissions for the conference can be found here.

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Draft programme

Day one: Wednesday 4th November 2026

Time Programme
9:00 Registration and refreshments – Exhibition open
10:00 Welcome to the Conference with prize winner announcements
Vanessa Chapman, Chair, UKMi
10:15–10:25 Keynote Speech
Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive Officer of NHS England (video address)
10:30–11:15 Overview of UKMi working groups
• QRMG – Charlotte Hay
• Technology and Innovation Group – Anuj Sunder
• Workforce and Development Group – Sarah O'Beirne and Tiffany Barrett
• Communication – Anna Burgess
11:15–11:45 Coffee break and exhibition/poster viewing (opportunity to question authors)
11:45–13:00 Plenary 1: Risks and Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in Medicines Information
Anuj Sunder, Lead Pharmacist MI & Medicines Safety, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Anna Burgess, Digital Lead Pharmacist, WMAS
Gary Hodgson, Senior Medicines Advice Pharmacist, SPS
13:00–14:15 Lunch with opportunities to visit the exhibition, view the posters, network and socialise
14:15–16:30 Afternoon workshops

Each workshop will last an hour and run twice. Delegates will have the opportunity to select two options; however, attendance at their preferred option may be dependent on numbers and cannot be guaranteed.

1. Developing your service from foundations to future growth
Tiffany Barrett, Lead Pharmacist MI, University Hospitals Plymouth, and Heather Fothersgill, Lead MI Pharmacist, Royal Cornwall Hospitals.
Suitable for MI pharmacy professionals who are newly in post or who would like to expand their current service.
2. Discover yourself through colour: An introduction to Insights Discovery and how to use them to improve effective and impactful communication
Jill Cordes and Julie Dixon, Organisational Development, Newcastle Foundation Trust
3. Liver impairment – how to manage enquiries in patients with liver impairment or hepatic adverse effects
Penny North-Lewis, Liver Specialist Pharmacist, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
4. Decision-making in grey areas
Dave Abbott, Highly Advanced Pharmacist MA, Leeds Teaching Hospital; Helen Jones, Senior MA Pharmacist, Midlands MA, UHL NHS Trust; and Paula Russell, Principal Pharmacist, Regional Drug & Therapeutics Centre Newcastle
Suitable for all MI practitioners when dealing with questions with limited or contradictory evidence.
5. Beyond the Query: Professional Development in MI
Katy Davies, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist MI, University Hospitals Birmingham NHSFT, and Sarah O’Beirne, Lead Pharmacist, Grampian MI
19:00 51st conference meal at Crowne Plaza Hotel

Day two: Thursday 5th November 2026

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10:00–10:10 Conference Introduction
10:10–11:15 Keynote Speech – Beyond the Horizon: The Power of Patient-Led Collaborative Healthcare
Sophie Pierce, Patient Voice, and Hannah Dickson, MI & Governance Pharmacist, Withybush Hospital
11:15–12:00 Coffee break and exhibition/poster viewing (opportunity to question authors)
12:00–12:45 Plenary 2: Clinical update – Monoclonal antibodies
• Overview of mAbs and use in practice (e.g. multiple mAbs, mAbs and vaccines) – Jessica Fox, Rheumatology Pharmacist, Newcastle.
• mAbs in pregnancy and breastfeeding – Luke Richardson, Principal Medical Information & Data Scientist, UKTIS, and Laura Kearney, Consultant Pharmacist – Lactation Medicine Advice, Midlands MI Service and UKDILAS
12:45–14:00 Lunch with opportunities to visit the exhibition, view the posters and network
14:00 Plenary 3: UKMi research
• Launch of UKMi research working group – Katy Davies, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist MI, University Hospitals Birmingham NHSFT
• Poster presentations – Summary of a range of posters at the conference
15:30 Conference closing remarks
We look forward to seeing you all in Newcastle.

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Documents

Conference Accommodation and Parking Options
PDF (134 KB)
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Profile Bank Details
PDF (225 KB)
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2026 UKMi Conference - Frequently Asked Questions
DOCX (39.8 KB)
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