Education Committee

Dave Buchanan is the Group Training, Education and Development Manager for AM-Heathcare.

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.

James has been a HCPC Registered Prosthetist/Orthotist since 2013, having graduated from the University of Salford. He has worked in the Republic of Ireland and across the United Kingdom.
 
In 2020, he joined the University of Salford as a teaching and learning intern, completing a PG Certificate in Academic Practice in 2021 and becoming a full-time lecturer in 2022.
 
He has a passion for teaching and learning practices and the development of healthcare practitioners and clinical practice, of course in Prosthetics and Orthotics but across the Allied Health Professional family as well.
 

Abby Smith is a Clinical Lead Orthotist with over 11 years of clinical experience delivering high-quality orthotic care across a wide range of clinical settings and specialising in management of the Diabetic foot, Stroke management and the treatment of Neuromuscular disorders. Abby works within a number of multidisciplinary clinics to provide patient-centred, evidence-based care and is an advocate of multidisciplinary working in healthcare to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
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.

Daniel Wardle is a HCPC-registered orthotist with a career spanning over 15 years in both the UK and the US. He previously served as Clinic Manager at Hanger Clinic in Buffalo, New York, where he led a multidisciplinary team and oversaw complex patient care. Now working as a locum orthotist, Daniel brings a depth of clinical and managerial experience to every role. He has a long-standing passion for innovative technology and its potential to improve patient outcomes, and he’s particularly interested in how digital tools and new materials can shape the future of orthotics. As part of the BAPO Educational Committee, Daniel is keen to support the profession by sharing knowledge and helping to drive forward progressive education.