News

Welcome to the BAPO Research Committee, Donna Dargie! 

We are delighted to welcome Donna Dargie as a new member of the BAPO Research Committee.

Donna is a Specialist Paediatric Orthotist with over 20 years of clinical experience and is the Orthotic Lead for the Scottish National Chest Wall Service at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

Since the service was established in 2010, Donna has played a key role in its development, with a particular interest in the conservative management of pectus deformities, clinical innovation and evidence-based practice.

 A passion for research and improving patient outcomes

Donna’s research focuses on improving orthotic treatment outcomes through objective adherence monitoring, clinical assessment and patient-centred care.

She is the author of the published research paper “Non-operative treatment of pectus carinatum: fifteen years of outcomes and predictors from a national paediatric service” and has presented her research internationally.

Donna is passionate about translating research into clinical practice, improving patient outcomes and strengthening the evidence base within the orthotic profession.

 About the BAPO Research Committee

The BAPO Research Committee works to develop and strengthen a research culture across prosthetics and orthotics, supporting members to build research capacity, develop their skills and undertake high-quality, clinically relevant research.

We look forward to the wealth of clinical expertise, research experience and enthusiasm Donna will bring to the committee as we continue to advance evidence-based practice across our profession.

Please join us in congratulating Donna and welcoming her to the BAPO Research Committee!

Rebecca is a Senior Orthotist at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, with a passion for practice education, professional development and supporting the next generation of prosthetists and orthotists. Actively involved in student and apprentice education, clinical supervision and service development, Rebecca was recently recognised with both Trust and Black Country regional awards for Innovation and Practice Education. She is also undertaking an Enhanced Care Practitioner apprenticeship, further developing her skills in leadership, education and service improvement.

Rebecca said:

“I’m excited to be taking on this role. Practice education is something I am passionate about, and I believe that supporting and developing educators is just as important as supporting our students. I’d love to see the network become a welcoming, collaborative space where practice educators can share experiences, exchange ideas and learn from one another. Ultimately, I hope we can build confidence, celebrate the work already happening across the profession and encourage more people to become involved in practice education.”

The BAPO Practice Educators Network supports, inspires and connects practice educators across prosthetics and orthotics. It provides a dedicated community to share knowledge, exchange best practice and collaborate towards excellence in healthcare education.

🔗 Interested in joining the network?? sign up here

What happens when you introduce a classroom of primary school children to prosthetics and orthotics? Plenty of curiosity, creative ideas and some brilliant questions!​

Francesca Makey, BAPO Career Outreach Officer, recently visited a primary school careers event, where children dressed up as the professionals they hoped to become. When she asked whether anyone knew what an orthotist was, only a few hands went up, a reminder of the opportunity we have to raise awareness of our profession.​

Through a short presentation and the chance to handle and try on devices, Francesca introduced the children to the work of prosthetists and orthotists. The spring-loaded braces proved particularly popular! The children then drew their own prostheses or orthoses, impressing Francesca with their creativity and enthusiasm.​

By the end of the session, the children had discovered two careers they might never have considered and learned how P&O professionals help people live more active and independent lives.​

Reflecting on the visit, Francesca said:

“As part of the BAPO Career Outreach Team, we believe reaching school children is a great way to raise our profile and increase our workforce in the future. The more we can all attend these types of events the better chance we have, plus it is incredibly fulfilling and heart warming.”

At BAPO, we believe that introducing young people to prosthetics and orthotics can spark an interest that lasts well beyond the classroom. 

Thank you to Francesca for sharing her passion and helping inspire the next generation.

Could you help put P&O on the careers map? Join our Career Outreach Team today! Contact enquiries@bapo.com for more information.

On 14 October, we will join the 13 other Allied Health Professions (AHPs) across England to celebrate AHPs Day.

The AHP community makes a vital contribution to system-wide care, assessing, treating and diagnosing patients across health and social care and beyond.

AHPs Day provides an opportunity for the workforce to come together and celebrate the breadth of the professions and their collective strength. Both are central to the future of the NHS and the delivery of high-quality care across all settings.

To mark the occasion, the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for England, Professor Suzanne Rastrick CBE, will share a message with the AHP workforce in the morning. This will be available through the Office of the CAHPO LinkedIn account and on Future NHS.

In the afternoon, the winners of the CAHPO Awards 2026 will be announced through the Chief AHP Officer bulletin. You can subscribe to the bulletin here.

We encourage members to showcase their contributions within the wider AHP workforce and multidisciplinary teams. If you are posting on social media, please tag us so we can share your activities and celebrations.

This year’s theme, ‘Celebrating AHPs Deliver’, offers a focus for discussion and sharing content. With the current AHP strategy reaching the end of its term in 2027, this is an opportunity to reflect on how your day-to-day dietetic practice aligns with its ambitions. You can read the strategy here.

The key themes to explore are:

1. An enhanced foundation theme, such as:

• AHPs championing and promoting diverse and inclusive leadership.

• AHPs being in the right place, at the right time, with the right skills.

• AHPs committing to research, innovation and evaluation.

• AHPs further harnessing digital technology and innovation through data.

2. One of the five areas of focus:

• People first.

• Optimising care.

• Social justice – addressing health and care inequalities.

• Environmental sustainability.

• Strengthening and promoting the AHP community.

3. Interprofessional collaboration and innovation between AHPs.

Find out more about AHPs Day and this year’s theme here.