This conference takes place every spring as the specialist event for consultants and trainees in neuroanaesthesia and neuro-critical care from all over the British Isles and further afield.

The conference started some 30 years ago as the Neuroanaesthetists’ Travelling Club, but has grown to an average attendance of 150 specialists over two full days of lectures, presentations and posters. Recent years have seen the conference at Oxford and Bristol, and next year’s event is already being planned for Edinburgh. But this year over 160 delegates from all the major UK neurosciences centres from Plymouth to Aberdeen converged on Sussex to make this one of the most successful meetings of the Neuro-anaesthesia society ever.

A golf tournament at Piltdown on the Wednesday started the proceedings, and then the conference was held at the Thistle Hotel on Brighton seafront, in perfect weather.

The highlight of the academic programme was the keynote speech, during which Professor Urban Ungerstedt from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm described the technique of microdialysis that he has developed for monitoring focal neurochemical changes. Fascinating lectures on recent work were delivered by Professor David Menon and Mr Peter Hutchinson from Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

A lively debate over the value of intra-cranial pressuring monitoring in the district general hospital was conducted between Dr Carl Waldmann from Reading and Mr John Norris from Hurstwood Park. Locals were pleased that the majority of delegates backed Mr Norris despite Dr Waldmann’s impressive PowerPoint wizardry.

Other sessions included topics as varied as head injury, monitoring, pain relief, neuroanaesthesia in Africa, and the future of neuroscience provision.

The conference also provided an opportunity for original research to be presented. Thirteen posters were on display ranging from ‘Changes in electrolyte & fluid balance in elective neurosurgery patients’ to ‘ Toothbrush microbiology in neuro-critical care’ (which won the Poster Prize).

In addition, seven trainees had the opportunity to present their work orally for the Harvey Granat Prize, awarded annually in memory of a pioneer neuroanaesthetist from Glasgow. The standard was extremely high but the prize was finally awarded to Dr Aimay Mirdin, from the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery for her work entitled ‘Are we talking the same language?’ This focused on the adequacy of current training in assessment of Glasgow Coma scores.

However, most delegates will probably remember best the annual dinner in the Banqueting Hall of the Royal Pavilion, after a guided tour of the Prince Regent’s seaside palace.

Organisation was a team effort, involving nine neuroanaesthesia consultants from Hurstwood Park, plus presentations by local chronic pain consultant, Dr Steven Ward. Several of our trainees assisted with the running of the sessions, BSUH specialist registrars Adeniye Faboya, Marina George, Claire Moorthy and Rebecca Woods. 

Peter Foster, ODP at Hurstwood Park, took the photographs, which can be accessed by the NASGBI website (www.nasgbi.org or www.nas2006.org)

Thanks to the team: Drs Chris Carey, Cristina Fumagalli, Diana Bellis, Hazel Adams, Ian Littlejohn, Jane Rouse, Jin Heer, John Pateman.