Independent Living
BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net
EVENT PREVIEW
THE PLACE TO BE
Naidex South, 19-20 October, is the disability, homecare and rehabilitation event for London and the South East enabling you to touch, test and compare products to aid independent living
Building on the successful launch of Naidex South last year, which exceeded all expectations, organisers are busy adding to this year’s show programme to further improve the fantastic London event. The show was launched for people in London and the South East of England and is packed full of interesting and exciting features, drawing in a new audience from this region. Naidex South takes place 19-20 October at ExCeL London, a fully accessible Paralympic venue, and visitors can register for free attendance online. MAJOR ATTRACTION As the only event of its kind in London, Naidex South provides an unmissable opportunity for the estimated 1.4m disabled people living in and around the capital to get first hand advice and guidance on the products and services available to them. With London being such a hub of organisations and institutions, it also attracts an important professional crowd, including local authorities and senior healthcare professionals. This year Naidex South is co-located with the GLA (Greater London Authority) Disability Capital Conference. The conference will take place in the venue’s Platinum Suite on 20 October and adds an even greater sense of occasion to the two-day event, with over 900 high level delegates due to attend. Coliea Bush, a carer who visited Naidex South last year, commented: “I think Naidex South is a great event, the things I have
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seen are mind blowing and I came here as there is everything you need and so much modern technology all under just one roof. There is nothing else like this in London – it is fantastic. I work with a lot of disabled children, and I know there has been a real need for an event such as Naidex South.” NEW FEATURES Exciting new features have been added to this year’s Naidex South to ensure there is something for everybody. Visit the Independent Living Show Home and see the best in inclusive design, new technology and products demonstrated by the specialists in a realistic setting. The feature will incorporate living and sleeping areas, interconnected by an inclusivelydesigned bathroom, in order to demonstrate the benefit of state-of-the-art technology for both young and older people alike. In addition to last year’s Meet the OT, the extremely popular feature at all Naidex shows that offers members of the public a chance to speak face-to-face with a qualified occupational therapist, there will also be a Meet the Expert zone at Naidex South, providing a unique service designed to answer your questions and offer invaluable advice via a drop in facility. With top industry experts on hand to offer free 30-minute meetings covering a host of topics, including career options, advice on the psychological effects of disability, up-to-date information regarding the disability allowance and help
concerning your physio needs, come along to be inspired, reassured and educated. Simply make your appointment at the welcome desk. Come October, the 2012 Paralympics will be less than nine months away, so the organisers of Naidex South will be including various features related to this global sporting event. One such feature is the Paralympic Showcase, which will celebrate the talents of disabled athletes and encourage visitors to get involved in sports on the day, also offering information on local clubs they can contact after the show. Naidex South also provides disabled visitors with a great opportunity to test out their route to ExCeL before the 2012 games, ensuring that they are well prepared to travel to the venue when the time comes to cheer on the British athletes. Event director Liz Virgo commented: “We are delighted to be adding the Paralympic Showcase feature to Naidex South and intend to make it a source of inspiration to all our visitors. Not only will it showcase the Paralympic sports that will be seen during the 2012 games but it will do so in the venue where the athletes will actually be competing! The timing is perfect, as it will capture the excitement of London 2012 at a time when tickets for the Paralympics go on sale, so there is sure to be a huge buzz about the Disability Sports Showcase feature. “We are also thrilled and honoured that this year’s Naidex South will be coinciding with the GLA conference. This alongside our repeated association with Primary Care Live means that the show will be bigger and better than ever before, and it is great that so many fantastic organisations will be together under one roof.” EVENT HIGHLIGHTS As well as exciting new features, you will still be able to enjoy Naidex favourites such as the Communication and Learning Village, designed to house the latest technological advancements and supported by Communication Matters, and the Car Zone, which will have many of the UK’s leading vehicle converters, including Brotherwood and Lewis Reed, exhibiting the latest WAV developments. Healthcare professionals are invited to attend the comprehensive free CPD Naidex Conference programme supported by the Health Professions Council. This offers all attendees a CPD certificate for their portfolio. Also returning to Naidex South for a second year is KideQuip, the must see zone dedicated to children with special needs, where visitors and healthcare professionals will be able to meet and discuss individual requirements and products with exhibitors. Naidex South 2011 is shaping up to be an unmissable event for members of the public, trade and healthcare professionals alike, so put 19-20 October in your diaries now to ensure you don’t miss out on this event. Register for free entry at www.naidex.co.uk/ south by quoting priority code EPR1. L