Considering inclusivity and accessibility for live medical events helps remove barriers that could otherwise prevent some groups of people from taking part. We need to be creating environments and delivering content in ways that take into consideration the different challenges that many people face.
The HCA, in partnership with Oxford PharmaGenesis, have produced a new practical guide to help all those working in healthcare communications deliver inclusivity and accessibility in their events. This easy-to-use guide provides a helpful checklist when planning and running an event and includes links to additional resources.
Recent work by Wells et al. has found that more than 50% of conference attendees reported accessibility needs and that the vast majority did not feel that their needs were being met. This suggests there is still much work to be done. As healthcare communicators we can make a real difference if we consider inclusivity and accessibility in all our event planning.
Members can download the new A guide to inclusivity and accessibility for live events in medical communications by clicking the image below
1 Wells JL, Faulkes Z, Hannan N et al. Are conference presentations accessible? Insights from an online survey to improve equity. Presented at the European Meeting of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals, 24–25 January 2023, London, UK.