Entering the Poster Competition

What is the Poster Competition?

The Patient Safety Poster Competition 2024 recognises safety and quality improvement initiatives from the UK and provides an important platform for patient safety advocates to share and exchange safety and quality breakthroughs with peers and healthcare stakeholders.

Who can enter the Poster Competition?

If you or your team have had success with an evidence-based, innovative, quality or safety initiative, we want to hear from you! To enter, please complete the entry form and attach your poster in A4 portrait PDF format no larger than 1MB.

Why should I enter?

Posters Recognised for Virtual Display will be showcased via the event app to over 1,000 patient safety experts and practitioners at the Patient Safety Congress 2024. Each category will have one winner and participants at the event will vote for the overall poster competition winner, which will be announced live at the event.

How do I enter the Poster Competition?

To enter the Poster Competition, please complete the download template form. Once you have completed your poster,  please submit your poster via this form. You will be asked to upload your poster in A4 portrait PDF format no larger than 1mb.

If you have submitted your poster but would like to update it before the deadline, please email eventssupport@hsj.co.uk and attach your updated poster.

Can I enter a poster into more than one category?

No, unfortunately you can only enter a poster into one category. You can, however, enter different posters into different categories.

When is the deadline?

The deadline for the poster competition is 5pm on Friday 14 June 2024. 

I have submitted my poster but would now like to submit an updated version. What do I do?

If you have submitted your poster but would like to update it before the deadline, please email eventssupport@hsj.co.uk and attach your updated poster.

What is the process after I submit my poster?
  1. Once you have completed your entry form with your details and attached your poster you will receive an automated ‘submission accepted’ email.
  2. After the entry deadline has passed, the posters will progress to our Patient Safety Judging stages.
  3. If your poster has met the entry criteria, you will be Recognised for Virtual Display, which means that your poster will be displayed in the Patient Safety Congress app which is available to all attendees at the event plus the virtual audience who have access from 16 September. Please note there will not be a physical poster display at the event.  
  4. Each category will have one winner selected from the Recognised for Virtual Display posters, by our Judges. 
  5. You will be notified before the Congress if you are a category winner by 4 August. Please note, category winners’ posters will be printed by HSJ and displayed in the Patient Safety Congress Exhibition as well as being in the app.
  6. At the Congress, attendees will have the opportunity to vote via the app to determine the Overall Patient Safety Poster Competition Winner from the ten category winners.

Creating Your Poster

Is there a specific format that the poster should follow?

Yes, your poster must follow 5 compulsory criteria, any posters that do not follow these criteria will not Recognised for Virtual Display:

  1. Portrait 
  2. A4 in size
  3. Include the poster title 
  4. Include your organisation logo and either a contact name, email or website. All other design aspects are then up to individual organisations.
  5. PDF file no larger than 10MB
Is there a template that I can use to help me to create my poster?

Yes, you can download the template here

If my poster does not meet one of the compulsory criteria, can it still be Recognised for Virtual Display?

No, we can only virtually display posters in the app that follow the compulsory criteria outlined previously. If you are having issues, please contact eventssupport@hsj.co.uk

Do I need to print my poster?

No, there will not be a physical poster display at the event. All posters will be displayed virtually in the app. Each of the ten category winners’ posters will be printed by HSJ and displayed in the category winner section of the Patient Safety Congress Exhibition. 

I’m struggling with the poster criteria and/or format with my poster, who do I contact?

Please contact eventssupport@hsj.co.uk and we will be happy to assist you.

Judging

What is the process for judging?

There are two stages of judging, the first will identify those posters meeting the entry criteria and who are Recognised for Virtual Display on 24 June to 5 July 2024.  Second stage is taking place from 15 to 22 July 2024 as part of the Patient Safety Awards judging when the ten category winners will be chosen. The overall winner of the poster competition will be chosen from the ten category winners by attendees at the live event. 

What are the judges looking for?

In every category, judges are looking for well-presented posters that describe clear, well-evidenced projects with the ultimate goal of delivering tangible improvements in patient safety. Please view the category list for more information regarding each individual category. 

Who are the judges?

Our judges have been selected from the Patient Safety Awards Judging Panel. 

When is the judging taking place?

Stage 1 of judging to choose posters successful to be Recognised for Virtual Display will be completed by 5 July and all entries will be notified no later than Friday 12 July 2024.  Stage 2 of judging to identify the ten category winners is taking place from 15 – 22 July. Category winners will be announced and informed prior to the event by 5 August.

If my poster is chosen to be Recognised for Virtual Display, when and how will I be notified?

An email will be sent out to the lead contact person no later than 5 July to inform you that your project has been successfully Recognised for Virtual Display and will also provide the next steps.

If my poster is not Recognised for Virtual display, when and how will I be notified? 

An email will be sent out to the lead contact person no later than 5 July to inform you that your poster has been unsuccessful and therefore we will not be displaying the poster at the event.

If I am unsuccessful, will I receive feedback as to why it did not meet the criteria?

No, in view of the number of entries we receive, we will be unable to provide feedback as to why your poster was unsuccessful. 

How and when will I know if I have won my category?

We will be announcing the ten category winners via email and they will be listed on our website. The lead contact from each category will also receive an email by 5 August providing next steps.

If I did not win my category will I be notified?

No, we will only notify the category winners, if you have not received an email from HSJ by 4 August your entry did not win the category but is still Recognised for Virtual Display.

How will the overall winner of the poster competition be chosen?

During the Patient Safety Congress live event, taking place on 16-17 September 2024, the audience will vote from the ten category winners, via the app to choose the Overall Patient Safety Poster Competition Winner.

Attending the event

If I do not attend the event, will I have access to see my poster in the app?

Unfortunately not, the content of the posters would only be available to those attending the event onsite (16-17 September). 

At the event

Where will the posters be displayed?

All posters that have been Recognised for Virtual Display will be displayed in the event app only which is accessible to all attendees at the live event and available to virtual attendees from 16 September. The ten category winner posters will be printed and displayed in the Patient Safety Congress Exhibition. 

I won my category so there is a printed poster in the exhibition, can I take my poster with me after the event?

If you are the lead contact of the poster then you can take your poster with you after 3pm on 17 September. Please ensure you have something to transport it as the event team will not be able to supply anything to you.

I do not have a smart phone, so cannot access the app, how can I see the posters?

If you booked to attend the congress you can still access the app content and posters via a desktop computer/laptop and log-in details will be provided nearer the time.

I have booked a virtual pass only for the event, can I still access the posters?

Those booking virtual tickets for the congress to access the on-demand content will be provided log-in details to the app/virtual platform by 17 September. The posters will be available to view then.

Winner announcements

How many winners are there?

There will be ten category winners, 1 for each category selected prior to the event. During the Congress, the audience will vote for the Overall Patient Safety Poster Competition Winner

When and how will the category winners be announced?

An email will be sent by the 5 August to announce the category winners.

When will the Overall Patient Safety Poster Competition Winner be announced?

The winner will be announced during the Congress. Timings will be confirmed closer to the event.

I have another question

If the FAQs have not answered your questions, please contact kelly.powell@hsj.co.uk who will be happy to help.