Sussex Clinical Academic Conference 2026

The fifth annual Sussex Clinical Academic Conference will take place on Wednesday 1^st July 2026 at the Brighton University Falmer campus. Join us for a day of networking, collaboration, workshops and inspiring presentations.

This event is open to all health and care professionals undertaking research in Sussex.

Lunch will be provided. If you have any specific dietary requirements, please indicate this when completing the registration form.

This year’s theme will be ‘Embracing Diversity – Hope through research’ with an aim to focus on widening participation in research.

This will be an inspiring event with engaging speakers, networking opportunities, and an afternoon of workshops. This will be an excellent opportunity to network and learn more about the innovative research currently being undertaken by your peers across NHS Trusts, academic, health and care organisations in Sussex.

All attendees are invited to submit an abstract on the theme for the oral or poster presentation competition using the following link:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=kLsAqf6UWEaLNN1yCExQZFi36fzRfGNNloQaZtVLPANURDIzWE0wOENJRkRCWUUwQUNFTTVLMkMxNC4u

Abstracts should be 350 words. Please use the following subheadings: Title / Background / Method / Results / Conclusion

For further detailed guidance on producing an abstract, please click the following link: http://tinyurl.com/3fd875wm.

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline for abstract submission will now be Friday 22nd May.

There will be a prize of a £50 Amazon voucher for the top 3 posters and oral presentations - to be voted for by the conference guests!

If you are unable to submit an abstract via the above form, please send an email to iat@bsms.ac.uk.

Please note: All current SFPs, ACFs and Clinical Academics within the UHSussex Trust are invited to attend and should book study leave for this – it is expected that each academic trainee would submit 1 abstract.

Please click on the link to register for this event. We look forward to seeing you there.

The Sussex Clinical Academic Conference 2026 has been approved by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom for 4 category 1 (external) CPD credit(s).

The programme for the day can be found below, please note that this is still subject to change.

Sussex Clinical Academic Conference 2026

Embracing diversity - hope through research

09:00-09:45 Poster set up & registration

09:45-09:55 Welcome address, Dr Jessica Eccles, Dr John Jones, Dr Cate Bell

09:55-10:15 Hard to Reach? Demystifying the Misconceptions: Embedding Inclusion, Evaluation and Sustained Partnerships in Research, Dr Natalie Darko, Associate Professor in Health Equity at the University of Leicester and Director of Inclusion for the Leicester NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical Research Facility, Commercial Delivery Research Centre and HPRU in Chemical Threats and Hazards

10:15-11:15 Oral presentations Part 1, Chaired by Dr Dr Moitree Banerjee, Head of School of Law and Reader in Clinical Psychology, University of Chichester)

11:15-11:25 Finding Hope and Meaning Through Patient and Public Involvement: A Creative Perspective, Dr Sam Robertson, Involvement Lead, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

11:25-11:55 Tea & coffee break

11:55-12:55 Oral presentations Part 2, Chaired by Hussein Botchway, Public Research Champion, University Hospitals Sussex & Founder, CCISP

12:55-13:00 Clinical Academic Group Peer Support Introduction, Sofie Litsfeldt, Staff Nurse and Dr Daisy Woolham, Infectious Diseases Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex

13:00-14:15 Lunch, networking & poster viewing

14:15-15:00 Small group breakout sessions
- Is Public & Community Involvement and Engagement Always Safe? Rethinking PCIE Through a Trauma-Informed Lens – Dr Anna-Marie Bibby-Jones
- (Accidental) insider research – when research/health journeys collide– Dr Jessica Eccles
- Forging the Path: Breaking Barriers to Build Inclusive Research Careers – Dr Cate Bell and Jonny Green
- Removing Language Barriers in Research Projects – Dr Soumely Madell, Audit an Guidelines Midwife, University Hospitals Sussex and Vikki Gimson, Quality Assurance Manager, Sussex Interpreting Services

15:00-15:15 Overconfidence in AI: Is One Best Guess Good Enough?, Dr Ivor Simpson, Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence, University of Sussex

15:15-15:45 Prizes & close