Research

British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics (BAPO) is pleased to announce the launch of its Journal Partnership Programme, a new initiative designed to strengthen collaboration between professional practice and academic publishing within prosthetics and orthotics.

Building on the success of BAPO’s existing partnership programme, this new strand focuses specifically on working with journals and publishers to improve access to research, support education and continuing professional development, and increase visibility for high-quality scholarly content within the profession.

Benefits for BAPO Members

The Journal Partnership Programme delivers clear and tangible benefits for BAPO members, supporting their clinical practice, research activity and lifelong learning. Through these partnerships, members may gain access to:

• Reduced or waived article processing charges (APCs) for open-access publishing
• Greater exposure to relevant, high-quality research in prosthetics and orthotics
• Educational resources such as CPD articles, research summaries and webinars
• Improved engagement with journals aligned to professional priorities and clinical practice

By strengthening links with journals, BAPO aims to ensure that its members are supported to publish, access and apply evidence-based research, enhancing patient care and professional standards across the UK.

Benefits for Journals and Publishers

For journals, the programme provides a valuable opportunity to connect directly with a highly engaged, specialist professional audience. Partner journals benefit from:

• Increased visibility and recognition through BAPO’s website and communication channels
• Targeted promotion to practising prosthetists and orthotists across the UK
• Opportunities to share content and updates with members via newsletters, events and digital communications
• Stronger engagement with clinicians and researchers working at the forefront of prosthetics and orthotics practice

The programme offers flexible partnership options, enabling journals to select a model that best aligns with their strategic goals, whether focused on visibility, education, or member benefits.

Get Involved

BAPO welcomes expressions of interest from journals and publishers who share a commitment to advancing research, education and professional practice in prosthetics and orthotics.

For more information or to discuss partnership opportunities, please refer to the attached flyer or contact BAPO directly.

Quote from Dr Laura Barr, chair of the BAPO Research Committee

“We are excited to work more closely with our journal partners through this new programme. It creates meaningful opportunities for the prosthetics and orthotics community to strengthen relationships between research and practice, support evidence-based care, and improve access to high-quality, relevant research for our members.”

The AHP WRaP team are pleased to announce that the project’s website is now live: https://research.shu.ac.uk/ahpwrap/  

If you are hearing about the AHP WRaP for the first time, the short video introduction on the website’s landing page provides a great overview of the project.  

Further details on each of the AHP WRaP’s current research projects can be found here: https://research.shu.ac.uk/ahpwrap/research-projects/  

As well as the website, you can also keep informed about the project through our social media pages : LinkedIn | BlueSky  

And of course through signing up to the CHAIN sub-group ‘NIHR AHP WRaP’.  Existing CHAIN members can email enquiries@chain-network.org.uk with the request to join this new sub-group. 

January 

CAHPR National Webinar Series – by CAHPR East Anglia

Date: Tuesday 20th January 2026

Where: Online

Time: 12.00 – 13.00

Event link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1970204838709?aff=oddtdtcreator

CAHPR West Midlands are delivering a webinar on ‘Postgraduate mentoring and supervision’.

Date: Tuesday 27th January 2026

Where: Online

Time: 12.00 – 13.00

Please see poster below for more details and to sign-up.

cahpr webinar poster 2026 FINAL with link

February

How the Palliative Care Research Society (PCRS) can help build your research skills

Date: Wednesday February 25^th 2026

Location: Online

Time: 12:00-12:45

Please see poster below for more details and to sign-up.

25th Feb 2026 How the PCRS can Help Build your Research Skills

https://imperial.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8Clf4sQiTiYRtHg

We want to know what would be important to you in a new prosthesis socket design, so please consider filling in our short survey so we can better address your needs. We are really hoping to hear from a range of clinicians and users – and particularly want to hear from both females and males!Any questions? Please contact: Loïs Galletly at lois.galletly17@imperial.ac.uk

Loughborough University is gathering professional input on long-term residual limb care for lower-limb amputees, as part of a study focusing on preventing secondary issues such as skin breakdown, socket discomfort, and volume fluctuation.

As a Prosthetist – you can provide invaluable guidance to ensure the research and resulting assistive product align with real clinical priorities. Please consider taking a few minutes out of your day to fill in the form below. Any questions about the study should be directed to Sarah Brown: s.brown-22@student.lboro.ac.uk

Survey closes: 15 December 2025

Take part here: https://forms.office.com/r/ZbhcXiGp0G

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Anushika Dayananda (Anu) as the new Vice-Chair of the Research Committee. Anu brings a strong dedication to advancing research that supports both practitioners and patients, and her appointment marks an exciting step forward for the committee.

Reflecting on her new role, Anu shared:

“Taking on the Vice Chair position is a new milestone for me, and I am grateful for the trust placed in me. Although this is my first leadership role of this kind, I am inspired by the opportunity to collaborate, learn, and help drive research that pushes our profession forward. I hope to bring energy, curiosity, and commitment to supporting work that truly makes a difference to patients and practitioners alike.”

Anu’s enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment will play an important role in strengthening the committee’s ongoing projects and future initiatives. We look forward to the insight and energy she will bring as Vice-Chair.

Please join us in congratulating Anu on this well-deserved appointment.

We are in search of a prosthetist who identifies as a woman and would like to join a codesign in the next month focused on creating design insights for prosthetics that better support women experiencing pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood. The codesign would span an hour to an hour and a half in total followed by a short discussion with the researcher. You would be joining a group of women with lived experience of being pregnant and experiencing motherhood as a lower limb amputee and prosthetic user, a biomedical engineer who focuses on women’s prosthetic research, and the researcher conducting this study with the University College of London. Please email  renae.collister.24@ucl.ac.uk if interested

NHS partners and stakeholders are asked to contribute to a call for evidence open for six weeks until 7 November 2025, to support the development of the 10 Year Workforce Plan. The is to create a plan that empowers staff, delivers world-class care, and secures the future of the NHS.   

Examples of best practice and innovation across the P&O profession are required showing how they can be scaled to meet the 10 Year Health Plan ambitions. 

This plan aims to create a sustainable workforce that is fit for the future, ensuring the NHS has the right people, in the right roles, with the right skills, so that every patient receives world-class care whenever they need it. It will support staff to work flexibly, grow their skills, and feel fulfilment in their careers.   

The prosthetic and orthotic community must ensure its voice is heard we have a lot to offer that aligns with the NHS ten-year plan.

Please contribute to the call for evidence here: 10 Year Workforce Plan – GOV.UK

An important consultation is taking place, and this is your opportunity to ensure that what matters to you is prioritised for research.

The AHP Workforce Research Partnership (AHP WRaP) is consulting with those working in frontline services delivered by Allied Health Professions, or in AHP management, leadership, academic, or policy roles to find out what questions about the AHP workforce need answering by research.

If you would like to learn more and/or take part in the survey, please click this link: 

https://research.shu.ac.uk/ahpwrap/ahp-psp/ahp-workforce-survey/