Benefit from members' rates for NPoCUS 2009, by joining BMUS at the same time. Click here to apply for membership of BMUS online. Once you have completed these forms you will be able to register online for NPoCUS at the members rate. NPoCUS Abstract Deadline extended. If you would like to submit a proffered paper to the conference and benefit from reduced registration fees, please click here to send us your abstract. NPoCUS: The 2nd National Point-of-Care Ultrasound Congress is being held as an official Satellite Meeting to Euroson 2009 (the combined Annual Meeting of the European Ultrasound Federation and British Medical Ultrasound Society). For information on Euroson 2009 including information about Edinburgh and travel to the venue, please visit the main Euroson site Welcome from the Scientific Programme Committee Recently, there has been an increasing use of focused ultrasound to answer specific questions at the patients' side or to perform a specific procedure - often in the emergency department, critical care or ward. This type of focused ultrasound has been termed Point-of-Care (PoC) ultrasound. In addition, most clinicians using this modality have been from a variety of clinical specialties, not specifically radiology/radiography. To facilitate the development of this type of ultrasound use, and bring together key users, 2008 saw the first National Point-of-Care Ultrasound Congress (NPoCUS) at the prestigious Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, on the Quayside in NewcastleGateshead. This event was very successful and brought together users from all over the UK; from clinicians who were already practicing to those who were considering starting training in PoC ultrasound. The faculty leading the sessions were nationally, including internationally, renowned experts in the field of PoC ultrasound. This year, NPoCUS has developed further and will now be an official satellite congress of the popular established Annual Scientific Meeting for the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) - which is also hosting the EUROSON meeting this year. The venue is the excellent Edinburgh International Convention Centre. The faculty and speakers leading the sessions will be international experts and, as with NPoCUS 2008, the main emphasis is on integrated workshops to provide users with training experience, required to practice PoC ultrasound. However, there will still be plenary and scientific sessions to discuss the significant advances in this exciting area of ultrasound practice. The NPoCUS 2009 congress is open to all current users of ultrasound, those who are considering starting PoC ultrasound and anyone who is just interested, no matter what speciality or grade you are. The dates are 5th-7th December 2009. We look forward to seeing you at NPoCUS 2009! Bob Jarman & Jim Connolly Joint Chairs of NPoCUS 2009 Organising Committee Dr Bob Jarman, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead Dr Jim Connolly, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Newcastle Acute Hospitals Trust NPoCUS 2009 is sponsored by the University of Teesside and SonoSite Royal College of Anaesthetists CPD points awarded