The Education Committee works closely with many of our other standing committees.
They work closely with the Education Officers and assist with the education offering of the Association and the BAPO Short Courses, Education Events and Virtual Events. Interested in joining the Education Committee? Complete the application form here: Application to join Education Committee and return to enquiries@bapo.com
Dave Buchanan
COMMITTEE CHAIR
He graduated from Salford University in 1999 with a first class honours degree and a top student award.
He started his professional life as an Aircraft Engineer with the MOD and RAF. At that time he was a Party Leader in the RAF Mountain Rescue Service but unexpected life changes ended with him attending Salford University in 1995; And what turned out to be the best move of his life!
Since 2014 Dave has been at least partially responsible for some of the orthotic systems our profession uses around the world and has worked, and lived, around the Globe working for the biggest manufacturers and educators in the P and O sphere.
He speaks German, and actually taught his first Knee-Ankle-Foot-Orthosis course in his developing language only 8 months after beginning to learn it, whilst living in Germany. It wasn’t very good.
Dave’s clinically visible roles generally revolve around the support of people hoping to gain specialisation and expertise in Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses, Ankle-Foot-Orthoses and joint systems in the treatment of complex caseloads. But he has also presented internationally on the holistic and orthotic treatment of Osteoarthritis in both a clinical and developmental roles and continues to work in the R and D sphere, today, with a focus on composite technologies.
He also has the immense honour of being the first, and to date, only practising Orthotist in the world to be admitted to the register of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow as a Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine. As far as he knows, anyway.
Since 2010, Dave has had an intense and deepening interest in stance control orthoses and, subsequently, in developing the potential for stance stabilised KAFOS. Stance stabilised KAFOs are designed to stimulate neuroplastic development via normalisation of motion after certain types of insult, injury or illness. This is an emerging practice which requires the support of research to generate evidence for or against such approaches.
Sport has always been extremely important to Dave, and he has managed a few briefly notable achievements in climbing, paragliding and mountain biking until working life stole his focus, completely.
He also has an Olympic Torch from 2012 in his office.
Dave is honoured to be a member of the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee and also Chair of the Education Committee.
Rebecca Green
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Following graduation from Salford University, Rebecca started her career at Selly Oak Hospital, at the West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre, working with specialist orthotics. This gave her a great opportunity to fast-pace her clinical knowledge and she worked with a fantastic clinical team, with specialists in; Diabetes, Lycra garments, Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), and specialist lower limb clinics. Following her time at Selly Oak she worked for a large commercial company seeing private patients for the provision of FES and high-end carbon fibre devices, as well as assisting clinics in Malta and across the UK. After the birth of her daughter, she took on a position as Clinical Lead Orthotist based at the Heart of England NHS Trust, this taught her a lot about management and the skills required to run a patient-centred, quality orthotics service. This led her to complete her MSc in Healthcare Management at Anglia Ruskin University. Rebecca always strives to deliver gold-standard, clinically supported orthotic care, and takes great pride in providing a holistic approach to patient assessment and treatment. After the birth of her second daughter, she relocated further North, where she worked as a Senior Orthotist in all aspects of orthotic care, based with a great team at Cannock Hospital. However, her passion has always been in education and since 2021 she has been working full-time as a lecturer on the MSc Prosthetics and Orthotics course at Keele University, specialising in orthotics and placement expansion/ development across the Keele School of Allied Health Professionals. This position has given her an opportunity to include the Prosthetist/Orthotist profession in ongoing Higher Education Institute and NHS England discussions in an Allied Health Professions-driven environment.
Abby Smith
COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR
Outside the clinic, Abby is passionate about mentoring the next generation of orthotists and contributing to the advancement of the profession through research, education, and service design. Throughout her career, Abby has had a strong interest in service development and clinical training and has progressed her role within TayCare Medical to Clinical Service Manager. Abby is responsible for leading TayCare’s training and development for Orthotists, Apprentices and Support Workers and has a strong focus on collaboration and continuous improvement.
Abby has completed both the BAPO and NHS Future Leaders programmes and is an active member of the North Yorks & Humber ICB Task and Finish Group for AHP Preceptorship.
Stacey Care
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Stacey graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2014 and works as a Prosthetist at Gillingham Disablement Services Centre.
Her role is wide and varying, including upper limb, health and safety, and promotion of the profession in schools. She is also heavily involved in student mentoring/placement supervision.
She joined the Education Committee in 2019 with the aim of generating forward progression to prosthetic learning for both new and established clinicians and providing prosthetic courses best suited for CPD requirements
Daniel Wardle
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Christabelle Asoluka
ASSISTANT EDUCATION & PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Christabelle obtained her prosthetic and orthotic training in Nigeria and currently holds a Master’s degree in orthopaedic and rehabilitation technology from the University of Dundee.
She has a strong interest in advocacy for rehabilitation policy and its services.
George Coles
COMMITTEE MEMBER
George graduated from Salford University in 2015. Afterwards, he worked as an orthotist in the NHS for Roehampton for 4 years before joining the London Orthotics Consultancy as a private Senior Orthotist in 2019. His specialisms include asymmetric scoliosis bracing, lower limb biomechanics, and gait analysis using a 2D video vector gait lab. He is interested in the newest technologies and products as well as their uses in the clinical setting.
Lucie Moran
STUDENT
I am a second-year student at the University of Strathclyde, studying for a BSc in Prosthetics and Orthotics. I really enjoy the practical side of the course, especially getting experience with patients, seeing the positive impact a Prosthetist/Orthotist can have on a person’s life, and applying the theory learnt to clinical situations. I have been a student member of the Education Committee within BAPO since October 2020.
Gemma McGinty
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Gemma graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2006 with a BSc Hons in Prosthetics and Orthotics. Working initially as a Prosthetist in the Specialist Mobility Rehabilitation Centre based in Preston, moving in 2011 to the SMART centre, Edinburgh as a senior Prosthetist. Supporting P&O clinical placement students was a hugely rewarding aspect of this position which led to an opportunity, alongside her clinical role, to support the recommencement of practice placements for all AHP professions during the Covid-19 pandemic as part NHS Lothian’s, AHP Practice Education Department.
June 2021 saw a move to the University of Strathclyde as a Teaching Fellow on the Prosthetics and Orthotics degrees. Acquiring new skills to support and develop students as the future of Prosthetics and Orthotics, resulting in a nomination to the student led, Strathclyde University Teaching Excellence Awards, 2023 in the Feedback and Support category. Gemma teaches on all prosthetic lower limb modules, professional skills and supervises UG and MSc Projects. As Co-Chair of the Strathclyde Biomedical Engineering Outreach Group her main focus is to improve public knowledge and engagement with Prosthetics and Orthotics via a diverse range of in person dynamic opportunities and online teaching and CPD events. Her research interests are lower limb disarticulation surgery and treatment options, microprocessor knees and the use of outcome measures.