Event Details - 24th QI & Audit Symposium 2026

Abstract submissions are currently closed for this event. If you would like to be contacted when abstract submissions open for the 2027 event, please contact education@rcsed.ac.uk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to pay to attend this event if my abstract is selected for presentation?

Yes, you will need to book and pay to attend the event in order to present your work.

Can I attend this event virtually?

Unfortunately we do not allow for remote attendance or presentation at this event.

Can I submit multiple works to this event?

Yes, there is no limit to the number of works you can submit to this event. However, please note you may be accepted to present more than one work. 

How long is my oral presentation?

If you are offered an oral presentation in the General Surgery, Patient Safety, Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, or Specialty and Common Interest categories, you will be given a total of 7 minutes presentation time. This is split into 5 minutes of speaking time and 2 minutes of Q&A.

 

If you are offered an oral presentation in the Surgeons in Training Medal category, you will be given a total of 10 minutes presentation time. This is split into 7 minutes of speaking time and 3 minutes of Q&A. 

How do I upload my oral presentation?

You will be provided a link to the College's file sharing website, which will be made available to you in the weeks prior to the event. You will be asked to upload your work under the session that you are presenting within.

We ask that you submit your work to this page by the Monday prior to the event (4 working days), so that we can test your slides. If you need to make amendments to your work after this time, we do allow this, but we kindly ask that you inform us of which version you will use so that the correct presentation is available to you on the day.

Can I have further information regarding my poster presentation?

• Posters must be Portrait and A2 Size (42 cm (width) x 59 cm (height) – can be smaller but do not exceed this size. 
• Posters must be brought along with you on the day.
• You do not need to upload your poster prior to the Symposium.
• Velcro strips will be provided.
• On arrival you will be shown to the poster room, where you will be shown where to hang your poster.
• You will be allocated a marker who will come to speak with you about your work during the breaks of the event, they will ask you questions about your work and there will be a feedback sheet for you to pick-up at the end of the event.
• Please also note that only the presenting author will receive a Presenters Certificate if in attendance (further authors can be sent a letter of recognition if requested, and if in attendance on the day, will receive a Certificate of Attendance only).

Do I need to upload my poster?

No, you do not need to upload your poster prior to the Symposium. We only ask that you bring it with you on the day as the College does not have the facilities available on site for you to print on the day of the event.

Can multiple authors present an oral or poster abstract?

We are happy to allow two co-authors to present an abstract in either the poster or oral section of the Symposium.

Do my co-authors receive recognition if my abstract is presented at the event?

If your abstract is chosen for presentation (either poster or oral presentation), only the presenting author will receive a certificate of presentation. Any co-authors in who attend the event in person will be provided with a CPD certificate of attendance.

Any co-authors listed on the abstract submission will receive letters confirming that they were a co-author on an abstract which has been presented at the event.

Is there a deadline for confirming my attendance after my abstract has been accepted?

We kindly request that you book your place on the course at least two weeks prior to the event date, this allows us to modify the programme accordingly.

What happens if my work is accepted for presentation but I can no longer attend?

If you are accepted for presentation but are no longer able to attend, on request, we can provide you with a letter confirming that your work was accepted to the one of the sessions at the Symposium but was not presented on the day.

Any booking cancellations will be handled in line with our cancellation policy.

Is this considered a National Conference?

Yes, the QI & Audit Symposium is considered a National Conference. 

Does RCSEd have dedicated parking?

Please note that the College does not have dedicated parking and free parking in the area is hard to come by. If you do choose to drive, our closest carparks are the Nicolson Square Carpark and the NCP at Holyrood. However, we recommend that you check the prices that are listed on these sites prior to arrival and note that they may be busy.

 

Please be aware that Edinburgh operates a Low Emission Zone in the City Centre. This includes the area in which the College is located. To check your vehicle and for more information, please see here.

How do I contact the Education Section?

The Education Section is open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.  If you wish to contact a member of the team please see contact details below:

Education mailbox:  education@rcsed.ac.uk

Phone number:  0131 527 1600

Will I receive CPD?

All RCSEd educational activity is awarded CPD hours. Please see individual course for specific award.

Will I receive a Certificate?

Yes, RCSEd Certificates of Attendance are awarded for all educational courses and are handed out at the end of the course (however, please note that where an event has a PASS or FAIL this will be posted to you after the event). 

What is RCSEd’s course cancellation policy?

1. What happens if RCSEd cancels a course I am booked on?
2. On occasion, RCSEd may need to cancel a course, for example if we are affected by an event out with our control or if it is not financially viable for us to deliver the course. If we do need to cancel, we will let you know as soon as possible and provide you with a full refund of course fees paid.

RCSEd shall incur no further liability (eg. travel or accommodation costs). You may wish to consider taking out appropriate travel insurance for any non-refundable costs you may incur when arranging to attend the course.

1. What happens if I need to cancel my place on a course I am booked?
2. If you cancel your place more than four weeks before the event date, you will incur an administration fee of 10% (or £50, whichever is greater) of the total course fee. NB: For course fees £250 and under, the cancellation fee is £30)

If you cancel your place less than four weeks before the course date, once the course has started, or you do not notify us, the total course fee will be charged, and no refund will be given.

Please also note that you cannot transfer your place on a Course to someone else.  This is because many of our courses have a waiting list, and we have an obligation to honour this.

1. Can I cancel a course booking online?
2. NO, cancellations must be made directly with the education team by email (education@rcsed.ac.uk).
3. Can I transfer to another date for the same course?
4. YES, you can transfer to another date by contacting the Education section directly (education@rcsed.ac.uk). Please note that you can transfer only once and transfers can only be made if more than 4 weeks prior to the start of the course, without incurring additional costs.  Should you cancel again, no refund shall be given.

Should you have any further questions, the Education Team can be contacted on 0131 527 1600 or by email to education@rcsed.ac.uk.

How do I book a place on an RCSEd course?

You can book a place for all our courses by visiting the RCSEd website, and selecting the course you wish to book.  Please note that you will need to register with the website in order to book.

For some regional and international courses you will need to book directly with the centre.  Please check individual courses for details.

You can also contact the Education Section by phone to book (0131 527 1600).

What payment methods do RCSEd accept?

Visa and MasterCard are accepted on the RCSEd website and over the phone to the education team.

All course bookings will receive a booking confirmation email:  this email acts as your receipt.

Request an Invoice:  If your course fees will be paid by a third party (eg trust, hospital, charitable fund) and they wish to be invoiced then they must provide us with an official purchase order.  We are unable to process applications without this.

The purchase order should be submitted with the application form and can be emailed to education@rcsed.ac.uk.  Please note that we can only invoice organisations and not individuals.  Please check with your hospital or trust, as some may require you to pay yourself and then claim the money back.

Do I receive a discount if I am a Member of RCSEd?

A 10% discount is applied to all educational courses and events organised directly through RCSEd, for Members, Fellows, Associates and Affiliates.

Are you able to help me with my VISA application?

YES, RCSEd can provide you with a Visa support letter confirming the course details and fees paid by you.  This is only possible once you have booked your place on a course and RCSEd have received the full course fee.

If a course is fully booked what can I do? Is there a waiting list?

If a course appears full and you wish to be placed on a waiting list then please contact the education team directly by email education@rcsed.ac.uk or phone 0131 527 1600.

Do you provide lunch or refreshments?

YES, for all educational courses, refreshments are served throughout the day and lunch is provided if the duration is one day or more.