A neurological community: the importance of reconnecting

In Summer 2019, a number of international conferences were held virtually - a first for most. The overwhelming commentary from colleagues at ECTRIMS, the EAN's national meeting and the CMSC's annual meeting was that the sessions were interesting, but it just wasn't the same as attending a conference in person.

Delegates shared how there was such an important aspect missing - that of connecting, sharing, of feeling part of a community and of engaging with like-minded peers. Huge amounts of effort were flung into creating virtual networking opportunities, cafe-style chat rooms, using interactive apps and chat-functions, although none of them quite recreated the sense of connectivity to be found around a coffee urn or an academic poster.

Fast-forward two years, and we have adapted - to the lack of travel, the flexibility, the comfier clothing. We are content to attend courses and conferences virtually. We seem to even prefer it. Perhaps enough time has passed that we have forgotten how lacking the experience was, back in 2019. I think we need to remember.

The past two years have been some of the hardest in healthcare, with lone working, isolation and burnout all increasing. We know the value of connection, experiencing mutual support and encouragement and learning from peers. You have told us.

Beyond the simple need that we all have to feel part of a community, is the enthusiasm and inspiration to improve practice that comes from hearing about the experiences of peers around the country.

Our learning model, particularly, was developed to encourage interaction, discussion and debate, and to draw on each other's clinical experience and service knowledge to bring together a whole that is far greater than the sum of its parts. Whilst we did our best to recreate this within a virtual setting, the value of discussing a case around an actual table, of throwing around ideas to improve care or solve a challenging problem, cannot be overstated.