SOA25 In-person joining instructions
Venue and Travel
SOA25 takes place at the ICC Birmingham – Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2EA, conveniently located just a 10 minute walk from Birmingham New Street station. Visit the website here for more information.
Badge printing and arrival
On arrival at the ICC, make your way to the bank of escalators and stairs located in the middle of the ground floor where you will be guided up to the registration area. You will receive an email before the event with a QR code, which you can then scan into any one of the kiosks in the registration area to print your badge.
If you are attending one of the pre-congress workshops on Monday 30 June, we will be pre-printing badges for you to collect on arrival, which will be valid for the whole of Congress.
Please ensure you have your e-ticket barcode ready on your smartphone/device when you arrive, so we can register delegates as quickly as possible. If you don’t have a smartphone, a print-out of the email can be used instead.
Members of staff will be on hand to help should you have any questions about this process.
Please ensure you wear your badge at all times.
Event timings & agenda
Day 1, Tuesday 1 July
- Registration - 8:30am
- Sessions - 9:40am-4:45pm
Day 2, Wednesday 2 July
- Fun run – 6:30am
- Registration – 8:00am
- Sessions – 8:00am -5:15pm
- Social event, Albert’s Schloss -7:30pm-12:00am
Day 3, Thursday 3 July
- Registration – 8:00am
- Sessions - 08:00am – 3:00pm
- Congress close -3:00pm
The full programme is available to view on the website . You can also access it on the Congress app or by scanning the QR code on the back of your badge.
Congress App
The official SOA25 congress app will give you access to everything you need to make your experience at the congress as smooth as possible - all in the palm of your hand.
Once downloaded, log in using the email address with which you registered and create a password. If you previously registered for SOA24, you will need to click on forgot password* after entering your email address, as our app provider has changed their password requirements and your old password will no longer be valid (check your junk/spam folders!).
App features:
- Submit questions to chairs and speakers to answer during sessions
- View the congress agenda and room locations
- Access the interactive exhibition floor plan
- Browse the ePoster Library
- Receive important update notifications on the day
The Congress app allows us to be sustainable. We will not be offering printed agendas on the day so it’s important you access the digital platform to help you find what you need on the day.
You will also be able to create your own personalised agenda by adding sessions to your schedule. Please note, this does not mean you have booked a place. All sessions, except for Masterclasses are on a first come first served basis, subject to availability. Masterclasses must be booked in advance.
Please note that the digital platform is only available to delegates that have registered for the Congress. Both in-person and virtual ticket holders will have access to the platform. You will only be able to view the days you have booked to attend.
Q&A and polling
All Q&A and polling for both virtual and in-person delegates will be taken via the Congress app. During a session, select the relevant day from the left-hand side menu. Then use the search bar or browse sessions to select the relevant session.
If you are using a desktop or widescreen device - Q&A and polling buttons are displayed to the right of the session broadcast screen.
If you are using a mobile or handheld device -Q&A and polling buttons are displayed below the session broadcast screen.
Mobile phone and electronic devices
As a courtesy to speakers and fellow delegates, you are kindly asked to switch all mobile and handheld devices to silent/do not disturb mode during sessions. Some speakers may specify that their presentation content cannot be photographed or tweeted - please be respectful of this.
Social events
5k Fun Run/Walk| Wednesday 2 July, 6:30am – 7:30am
Pack your running/walking shoes and join us for an early morning jaunt along the canal. It is the perfect way to blow off the cobwebs and see a bit of the Birmingham Old Canal before the morning sessions start. This 5K route is suitable for all levels of fitness and you are free to walk if you prefer not to run.
Please meet outside the Brindley Place entrance to the ICC at 6:30am sharp.
Social Evening at Albert’s Schloss | Wednesday 2 July, 7:30pm – 2.00am
Tickets are £30 each (£25 + VAT) and include access to Albert’s Schloss (see venue here), three complimentary drinks, live music and an opportunity to dance on the tables (it’s actively encouraged!) to music requested by the audience. It’s loud, exciting and a fun night out.
If you don’t already have a social event ticket, you can purchase either via the website by adding to your existing booking or from the registration desk on Tuesday 1 or Wednesday 2 July before 4:00pm, subject to availability.
Wristbands must be worn by all guests as they feature details of your complimentary drinks allowance and also act as your ‘ticket’ on the night. They will be issued to you prior to the event rather than on the door, so do ensure you collect yours from the ICS Helpdesk (near the registration desks) from the afternoon of Tuesday 1st to 4pm on Wednesday 2nd.
Please note we can only accept card payments.
*If you have any queries about your social event ticket, please email soa@ics.ac.uk.
Pre - Congress Workshops
If you have booked to attend a pre-Congress workshop, you will have been sent your joining instructions for this via email from soa@ics.ac.uk
If you have any queries about your workshop attendance, please contact Rachel Green at soa@ics.ac.uk.
New to SOA24 – Mentoring Sessions
Mentors from NEMO (the North East Mentoring Organisation) will be offering taster sessions at SOA24 on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th June during the conference.
Mentoring in essence is taking time to have a supported conversation with a trained mentor, to allow the mentee to take control of their personal development. The mentor will help the mentee look at the chosen issue through a wider lens to identify how they can help themselves to develop an action plan to move forwards, as well as identifying potential blind spots and pitfalls to navigate. Mentoring is not about being given advice or being told what to do
To book a taster slot at SOA, please email Sara Scott at sara.scott4@nhs.net or go to the registration desk and book in person.
Accessibility
If you have any particular requirements, disabilities, access or any other needs you haven’t made us aware of, please email soa@ics.ac.uk as soon as possible to let us know how we can help.
The ICC is accessible to wheelchair users via lifts. Accessible toilets are available throughout the venue.
See here for further information on accessibility at the ICC.
More information about accessible venues, transport, mobility scooter and wheelchair hire, disabled car parking and accessible toilets in Birmingham is available via the Visit Birmingham website here.
You can also search for specific services within the city and surrounding areas on the AccessAble website or app. AccessAble surveyed 10,000s of venues across the UK and Ireland, including shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, colleges, universities, hospitals and more to find wheelchair friendly venues or check out disabled access and facilities.
Accommodation
Delegate and exhibitor accommodation can be booked through our official accommodation provider, MICE Concierge, here.
If you are a speaker who has not yet booked accommodation, please urgently contact Anna Hellawell by emailing her at anna.hellawell@miceconcierge.com.
Badge scanning & data sharing
Your badge may, with your permission, be scanned by exhibiting companies in the exhibition hall and at sponsored sessions. If you allow your badge to be scanned, you agree for those companies to contact you about their products, events and/or services - some of which may be promotional in nature, this overrides any previous opt outs given at the time of registration. If you do not wish to be contacted by our exhibiting companies you have the right to not have your badge scanned when visiting stands in the exhibition hall or attending sponsored sessions. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting the sponsor.
Cancellation
We regret that any cancellations or no shows are not subject to refund, in line with our cancellation policy. Substitutions may be made without penalty as this will help us to reduce wastage, but must be received in writing by email to soa@ics.ac.uk prior to the event.
Cloakroom
The venue has a cloakroom available on The Mall (ground floor). Please note all items are left at your own risk and charges will apply.
CPD certificates
By attending SOA25, you'll earn 18 CPD points towards your annual appraisal. Certificates of attendance will be sent to your registered email address once a post-event survey has been completed.
Exhibition
We have an extensive industry exhibition at SOA25. Full details of the companies exhibiting can be found on the congress website here.
Floorplans will be displayed on onsite signage. You can also access the floorplan on the congress app by scanning the QR code on the back of your badge. Please ensure you take the time to visit the stands and engage with our exhibitors.
Insurance
Participants are advised to take out their own travel insurance and to extend their personal policy to cover personal possessions. The congress does not cover individuals against cancellation of bookings or theft of belongings. It is also recommended that you do not bring any luggage to the venue, unless essential.
Multi-faith
There is a multi-faith room available for private prayer or quiet reflection on Level 3 of the ICC (ground floor). This will be signposted on the floorplan and signage. Please speak to a member of staff if you need help locating it.
Family Room
There is a dedicated family room in Room 1 on Level 5 for the care of young children by their parents/guardian, including an area for breastfeeding. Please speak to the registration staff who can direct you to the room. Congress sessions will be live streamed via the congress app. You can access this via the link above on your personal device.
Quiet Room
We will be providing a quiet room for any delegates who would like a calm space to take a break or reset during the event.
This is Room 7 on Level 5a, with low lighting, no audio, and a selection of calming items to help you unwind in peace.
Parking
The closest spaces are Utilita Arena Birmingham on King Edward’s Road - for further details, see here.
For further details, see here.
Photography and Videography
Photography and videography will be taking place at SOA25. If you have any objections to being photographed and/or filmed, please advise the organisers as soon as possible by reporting to the registration desk or emailing soa@ics.ac.uk. Please note, you will need to supply us with a recent image of yourself, so that we can exclude you from marketing content.
Refreshments & dietary requirements
We’ll be providing tea and coffee during scheduled breaks, along with a different light meal option each day, which may include sandwiches, wraps, baguettes, or street food-style dishes.
The Mall at the ICC also has Londis, Pizza Express, Costa Coffee and Subway for you to purchase food to go.
We recommend bringing your own water bottle with you so that you can fill up at the Hydration Stations throughout the building.
Dietary requirements are collected during online registration. If you did not advise of any special dietary requirements (e.g. religious, intolerances, allergies) at the time of registration please advise us immediately by emailing soa@ics.ac.uk. We will try, as far as possible, to accommodate such requests.
On demand access
Sessions will be available to watch on demand within 1 working day (subject to speaker permissions, copyright and company approval). To watch on demand, please visit the official congress app. Please note you will not be able to participate in live Q&A when watching on demand. This content will be available for six months after SOA25.
Social media
We would love to see your pictures and hear your feedback from our Congress on social media using the hashtag #SOA25. Please Tweet us at @ICS_updates or Bluesky at @ICS-updates.
WiFi
Free WiFi is available for delegates to use throughout the conference. Login details will be displayed throughout the Congress.