OT Show 2017: Getting the most from your visit
12 Tips for the OT Show 2017: Getting the most from your visit
The annual Occupational Therapy show will be held on 22nd-23rd November 2017. As the UK’s largest annual gathering of Occupational Therapists, Case Managers and medical professionals, it’s an event not to be missed and we hope that ‘the OT Show 2017: Getting the most from your visit’ will help you plan your day.
The two-day event provides an opportunity to meet face-to-face with equipment manufacturers from Patient Transfer to Sensory Equipment, the OT Show 2017 will include top-tier industry players, across healthcare equipment suppliers.
It brings together two co-located shows under one roof: The Occupational Therapy Show and Therapy Expo. Find out about the latest developments and learn about new suppliers and technologies you may be less familiar with.
With over 270 exhibitors, more than 100 seminars, and 5000+ fellow Occupational Therapists and Case Managers due to attend, the OT Show will be an opportunity to see, touch and experience the world of occupational therapy and the advances of technology – it’s guaranteed to be a great event that will benefit you and your work. There will be a dedicated area for wheelchair and seating assessments, focusing on pressure management, in the new “Posture and Wheelchair Essentials Theatre”.
We’ve put together a 12-point guide to help you plan your visit, so you make sure you get the most out of it. We hope you’ll find it useful.
1. Date and time
The show is located at Birmingham’s NEC, in halls 9 and 10. The show runs for two days; it opens from 09:00 to 17:30 on the Wednesday 22nd November 2017 and 09:00 til 16:30 on the Thursday 23rd November 2017.
2. Getting there
If you are travelling by car and have a Sat Nav the postcode is B40 1NT. The arena is clearly signposted from all motorways and major routes including the M42, M40 and M6. If you are travelling by train, Birmingham International Railway station is less than a ten-minute walk from the venue. Whatever mode of transport you’re taking, for full travel information please click here.
3. Parking
There are over 16,500 car parking spaces at the arena. Standard parking is £12 per day and you can pay with cash or card on arrival. However, you may want to consider pre-booking your parking at no extra cost to avoid payment queues. If you want close access to the venue, express parking is £20 for the day and needs to be pre-booked. For more details on parking options or to pre-book, click here.
4. Pre-registration
Entry to the show is free of charge. To avoid queuing up and to save yourself a little time on the day you can pre-register to visit.
5. Exhibitor listing
You can search for exhibitors by company name or category. Each exhibitor listing includes their company name, stand number, address, website, social network accounts. You can also find a short description of what they do and the categories they work in. You can find OpeMed on stand C62. To view the exhibitor list by clicking here.
6. Justify your attendance
Whilst the show offers a free delegate place, we appreciate there are still costs in involved to taking a day away from work and attending the conference. To help you if you need additional funding to cover travel and expenses we have two documents that may assist.
If you want to attend The Occupational Therapy Show, you may need to inform your employer early and start preparing the evidence to support your application for attending.
You can download a drafted a justification letter for use by both Occupational Therapists working in the statutory sector as well as those in the private sector, to help you make a case to attend the conference.
Click here to open the justification letter for the statutory sector, and click here for the private sector justification letter.
7. Make appointments
If you already know who you want to meet at the show then it makes sense to contact them in advance to pre-book a time slot with them. That way you won’t miss out on an opportunity to talk. To contact a supplier, locate the relevant company from the exhibitor list, and send a message using the contact form at the bottom of the page. To book an appointment with OpeMed at the show click here.
8. Paediatric Trail and Seminars
We recommend taking a look at the paediatric trail in advance of the event to plan your day to get the most from your visit. To find out more about the trail click here to view the pediatric seminars or click here to download the trail map.
9. Follow the activity
If you have a Twitter account the official account to follow for the event is @TheOTShow. News and updates about the event are often being posted. Exhibitors are also actively posting about the event and how to find them on the day.
You can also keep up to date with news and press about the show, exhibitors, and industry topics, by visiting this page on the event website.
10. Request for quote
Being able to meet with multiple potential suppliers and manufacturers all in one place makes it easier for you to make comparisons between them. But, we recommend avoiding asking for live quotes on the day. With so much going on at the event, a chance to reflect on the conversations you’ve had can be really useful. Use the show as a way of shortlisting potential providers based on the feel you get from speaking to them, then spend time sending tailored request for quotes (RFQ) when you are back in the office and have had a chance to reflect.
11. Learn something new
The two-day event will play host to six forums and over 100 sessions. All of which are free to attend to all registered visitors. Conferences are a great way to find out what’s happening in the industry and will help break up your day.
You can find OpeMed’s Managing Director, Nick Kent speaking on both days in the Showcase Theatre. To find out what time he is speaking and more about the seminar click here. You can view and see the OT Show 2017 programme by visiting this page.
12. Follow up
After the event, it’s all too easy to get swept back into your daily work. But it’s important you take the time to follow up and make contact with the key suppliers you met. To reduce the chance of being chased by suppliers, it’s a good idea to manage their expectations when you meet them. If you know you won’t be getting in touch until a few weeks later, or even six months down the line, let them know.
Hopefully, you’ll have found this quick 12-point guide on the upcoming Occupational Therapy Show 2017 useful. If you have any further questions about the event, please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to provide you with the answers you’re looking for.
