National Poisons Information Service CPD Event, Edinburgh, UK, 22-23 Sept 2021

The National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) met face to face in September for an excellent two-day continuing professional development event, the first such event since COVID-imposed lockdown restrictions came into force 18 months ago.

The event was held in Edinburgh and attended by 27 NPIS staff, including specialists in poisons information and consultant clinical toxicologists. Both days of the event were also live streamed to 33 other colleagues nationally.

Presentations included management of methaemoglobinaemia, methotrexate toxicity, and nitrous oxide toxicity. Attendees also debated the use of high-dose N-acetylcysteine in paracetamol poisoning.

Several members of the NPIS Cardiff team presented at the event. Michael Beddard gave a talk on tricyclic antidepressant epidemiology and prescribing; Gillian Carter presented on toxicovigilance during the COVID-19 pandemic; and Professor James Coulson on the use of plants in medicine.

The talks were well received by delegates. All NPIS staff from across the four NPIS units (Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Newcastle) were thanked by the NPIS Director Professor Simon Thomas for their diligence and hard work in maintaining a poisons information service throughout the COVID pandemic.

The event was a huge success and a great opportunity for the NPIS to meet in person again, to help the team nationally improve the understanding and awareness of current and emerging trends in toxicology, and to continue to build relationships and capacity within the organisation.