International Surgical Conference Brings More Than 650 Delegates to NewcastleGateshead

More than 650 surgeons and healthcare professionals will gather in NewcastleGateshead later this month as The Glasshouse International Centre for Music hosts one of the UK's leading specialist medical conferences.

The British Elbow & Shoulder Society (BESS) Annual Scientific Meeting will take place from 24-26 June at the award-winning venue, bringing together upper limb specialists from across the UK and Ireland for three days of education, debate, networking and knowledge sharing.

This year's event marks a significant milestone for the society, which has been established for more than 35 years. For the first time in its history, BESS will welcome an international partner society to its flagship conference, with a delegation from Spain attending the event.

Among the international guests will be Abdul-ilah Hachem, President Elect of La Sociedad Española de Cirugía de Hombro y Codo (The Spanish Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery), who will deliver the prestigious Presidential Guest Lecture. He will be joined by fellow members of the Spanish society, underlining the growing international reach of the conference and strengthening professional collaboration between the two organisations.

Return to The Glasshouse

The conference marks the second time BESS has selected The Glasshouse as host venue, reflecting the growing reputation of the NewcastleGateshead landmark as a destination for major medical and scientific events.

Chris Laws, Head of Operations, Events & Hires at The Glasshouse, said: “This is the second time BESS has chosen The Glasshouse for its Annual Scientific Meeting, which is a great endorsement for our venue and the high quality conference and events facilities on offer.

“We’re very different from traditional conference centres in that we can provide some unique spaces that really elevate events and create that wow factor for delegates. The BESS conference will make full use of our world-class auditorium and our open concourse area for the exhibition, which has panoramic views across the river to Newcastle upon Tyne.”

The event will utilise the venue's flagship auditorium for keynote sessions and debates, while the expansive riverside concourse will host the accompanying trade exhibition.

International collaboration takes centre stage

Alongside the scientific programme, organisers are placing a strong emphasis on international collaboration and multidisciplinary learning.

In a joint statement, President of the British Elbow & Shoulder Society, Mark Falworth, and Vice President/Local Organiser Lead, Jaime Candal-Couto, said: “We are delighted to bring the BESS Annual Scientific Meeting and Instructional Course to NewcastleGateshead and The Glasshouse, a venue that offers an excellent setting for collaboration, learning and innovation. This year’s programme reflects the breadth and depth of contemporary shoulder and elbow practice, with a strong emphasis on practical education, multidisciplinary engagement and improving patient outcomes.

“We are also pleased to welcome colleagues from the Spanish Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (SECHC), marking an important step in strengthening international collaboration and sharing expertise. We look forward to three days of high-quality discussion, debate and professional development.”

The programme includes scientific presentations, surgical debates, panel discussions, industry workshops and a dedicated trauma-focused instructional course. Speakers and workshop leaders will represent NHS Trusts, teaching hospitals and specialist healthcare institutions from both the UK and Spain.

The event will conclude with an awards ceremony and the formal handover to Manchester, which will host the 2027 edition of the Annual Scientific Meeting.

A venue with growing conference credentials

Since opening in 2004, The Glasshouse — formerly known as Sage Gateshead — has established itself as one of the UK's most distinctive conference and events venues, combining world-class performance spaces with large-scale event facilities.

More than 400,000 conference delegates have attended events at the venue over the past two decades, with organisations including MS Life, Greggs, British Engines, NHS and TEDx choosing The Glasshouse for conferences, conventions and corporate events.

The venue's conference business also plays an important role in supporting its charitable mission. As an independent charity, revenue generated through conferences and events directly funds live music and education programmes across the North East. To date, more than £10.6 million has been reinvested into these community-focused initiatives.

Looking ahead, The Glasshouse will continue to strengthen its position within the business events market, with UKinbound already confirmed to bring its Annual Convention to the venue in February 2027.

As the only large-scale conference and events venue located on the iconic NewcastleGateshead quayside, The Glasshouse continues to attract national and international gatherings seeking a distinctive setting alongside state-of-the-art facilities.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.