Christine: Simon Beard is here from Healthcare Venues, and today on Beyond Warwick, we're going to talk about all things compliance. Can you briefly describe what Healthcare Venues is all about and your role there?
Simon: Healthcare Venues sits in what we consider the middle of the industry because there’s a general lack of understanding about how regulatory codes of conduct guide sponsored meetings and events for healthcare professionals—not internal staff meetings—and how they work.
We aim to fill that gap. We work with corporate companies, specialist agencies, hotels, and venues. Our assessment, training, and listings help them operate more effectively and create a commercial advantage. Being a member of Healthcare Venues provides connectivity to this specialist segment.
We offer monthly hints and tips, newsletters, compliance workshops, agency educational visits, and access to relevant LinkedIn groups.
Christine: Is there a typical day in your role at Healthcare Venues? What does your day or week look like?
Simon: I don’t think I have a typical day or week. Within the company, I wear two hats: compliance consultant and head of venues.
A typical week might involve creating listings for venues we’re working with, writing compliance summaries, marking assignments for participants of our Healthcare Venue Champion training, speaking to agencies about their training needs, and talking to venues that aren’t members yet about the benefits of joining.
Christine: Are you based at home for this work, or do you get to travel?
Simon: Yes, I’ve been working from home for about 10 years—well before it became trendy! I work in my study, but I absolutely love going on-site.
I originally got into the industry because I didn’t want to sit behind a desk. I wanted to travel, and meetings and events gave me that opportunity. For me, a good week is knowing I won’t be at home for five days, that I’ll be getting on a plane and heading somewhere.
Of course, when I arrive at my destination, my workday starts immediately—it could be 24 hours long—but it didn’t matter to me.
Christine: So, you love getting out and about. What would you say you like least about your job? What are the challenges?
Simon: The biggest challenge is staying on top of over 200 codes of conduct and the changes in compliance regulations. These changes affect company policies, which in turn shape the application of compliance during live meetings and events.
One question we often get asked as compliance experts is, “Why don’t you have a website with links to all codes of conduct?” The truth is, that would be a full-time job in itself. While codes of conduct are open source, company policies aren’t. These policies dictate how compliance applies in practice, adding complexity.
Keeping track of all this and packaging it in a way that’s understandable for clients is always a challenge. The nuances in the application of compliance—often influenced by public perception—are particularly tricky.
Christine: How important do you think it is for a venue to have a healthcare strategy?
Simon: It’s absolutely crucial. In any sales role, whether healthcare or not, a strategy is key to winning and retaining business. For sponsored healthcare professional meetings—where strict rules and regulations apply—it’s essential to understand your clients’ pain points and provide solutions.
That’s the foundation of long-term relationships. A healthcare strategy also involves understanding compliance and having dedicated, knowledgeable staff.
Christine: How important is it for venues to have staff knowledgeable about healthcare compliance?
Simon: It’s hugely important. We’re trying to change the narrative. Instead of saying, “Tell us what you want, and we’ll do it,” we encourage venues to be proactive.
If you can say to a client, “I know compliance applies, I understand your pain points, and I can save you time by providing solutions,” you position yourself as a resource rather than just a supplier. This builds stronger partnerships.
Christine: What sort of roles can healthcare compliance champions play in ensuring venue support?
Simon: We train venue healthcare champions across various roles—sales, marketing, and operations. Compliance touches every part of the live event, so everyone, from the front-of-house manager to the catering manager, plays a role.
Since it’s not practical to train every department on healthcare compliance, we focus on embedding compliance information in event orders. This ensures that the client’s requirements are communicated effectively to all department heads.
Christine: What are some common pitfalls venues face when planning healthcare meetings without understanding compliance?
Simon: Compliance revolves around five key areas, but perception—both public and general—is often underestimated. For instance, one of our training case studies looks at the use of the term “award-winning.”
In marketing materials, venues often highlight award-winning restaurants to attract attention. However, without context, this can create the wrong perception for healthcare events. A general public assumption might be that the restaurant is of Gordon Ramsay calibre, but in reality, the award could be for sustainability or a local newspaper accolade.
This lack of context can mislead clients and negatively impact healthcare events.
Christine: Do you have examples of when compliance went wrong?
Simon: Absolutely. One example involves hotels that become unclassified (no longer star-rated) but still advertise as five-star properties on legacy or even brand websites.
While using five-star hotels isn’t necessarily banned, many company policies avoid them. A hotel that misrepresents itself can quickly end up blacklisted, and it’s much harder to come off that list than to avoid being placed on it in the first place.
Christine: On the flip side, do you have an example of understanding compliance saving the day?
Simon: Yes! One case involved a London meeting venue that announced a new spa facility in its marketing emails.
A healthcare client, who had booked a meeting at the venue, saw the email and panicked, cancelling their bookings to avoid negative press. They didn’t want the perception that doctors were attending a meeting at a leisure-focused venue.
After speaking with the venue, I discovered that the “spa” was just two small rooms on a separate floor from the meeting space. Once the context was clarified, I advised the venue to communicate this to the client. They did, and the client reinstated the bookings.
Christine: Thank you for your time today, Simon. It’s been a pleasure.
Simon: You’re welcome.
