• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists

  • About Us
    • Who are BAPO?
    • Who are Prosthetists and Orthotists?
    • Office Bearers
    • Staff
    • Committees
      • Executive Committee (EC)
      • Education Committee
      • Editorial Committee
      • Professional Affairs Committee
      • Research Committee
    • BAPO’s Patron
    • BAPOConnect
      • Submit an article
      • Advertise in BAPOConnect
    • Advertise with us
      • Advertise products and services
      • Advertise job vacancies
    • Contact Us
  • Membership
    • BAPO Membership
    • Members Area
    • Insurance
    • Learners
  • Events
    • Awards
      • Previous Award Winners
      • BAPO P&O Awards 2024
      • Orthotist of the Year
      • Prosthetist of the Year
      • Advancing Healthcare Awards
        • Previous Advancing Healthcare Winners
    • BAPO Courses & Webinars
      • Short Courses & Webinars
      • Tech and Trends
      • Teatime Talks
    • BAPO Regional Conferences
      • Wigan 16/05/2025
    • Events Calendar
    • P&O Day 2025
    • Past Conferences
      • Cardiff 2024
      • West Midlands 2024
  • Resources
    • Advancing Practice
    • BAPO’s Standards, Policies, and Guides
    • Early Career Support
    • Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
    • Education Resources
      • The Educator Workforce
      • BAPO Learner Hub
      • BAPO Simulation
    • Locum Register
    • Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
    • Mentoring
    • National guidance, policies, and strategies
    • OETT Orthotic Education & Training Trust
    • Public Health
    • Research Resources
    • Resources for employers
  • Campaigns
    • Legs Matter
    • Net Zero
    • Prescribing Rights
  • Careers
    • Careers
    • Career Changers
    • Career Information for Schools and Colleges
    • Places to Study
    • Return to Practice
    • Support Workers and Technicians
  • News

BAPO’s Standards, Policies, and Guides  


Supporting Excellence and Consistency Across Prosthetics and Orthotics

The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) is committed to advancing the highest standards in prosthetic and orthotic care. One of the core ways we achieve this is through the development and dissemination of professional standards, ethical policies, clinical guidelines, and supportive resources for practitioners across the United Kingdom.

Our comprehensive library of standards and guides serves to inform, empower, and align the practice of prosthetists, orthotists, and the wider workforce—including support workers, technicians, apprentices, and learners. These resources are essential tools in ensuring safe, effective, and person-centred care delivery in both NHS and private practice environments.

Why Standards and Guidance Matter

In a continually evolving healthcare landscape, consistent and evidence-based practice is more important than ever. BAPO’s standards and guides:

– Promote Clinical Excellence: Ensure clinicians work to the highest level of competence.

– Support Professional Accountability: Reinforce responsibilities aligned with HCPC and MHRA expectations.

– Enable Workforce Development: Offer tools to support lifelong learning and structured growth.

– Strengthen Service Delivery: Assist in implementing consistent and high-quality services.

– Champion Equity and Inclusion: Foster inclusive environments through dedicated EDI resources.

Key Documents and Areas of Focus

BAPO Standards

  • Standards for Best Practice 2025
  • BAPO Ethical Code 2025

BAPO Guides

  • KAFO Standard – 2022
  • Measuring Change – BAPO Outcome Measures
  • MHRA Guidance – July 2019
  • Service Provision Guidance for Prosthetic & Orthotic Services
  • IRMER Guidance Main
  • IRMER Guidance Appendix
  • Job Planning Guide
  • BAPO Guidance on the Supervision of Assistant Practitioners
  • Patient Group Directions
  • BAPO Support worker framework for the prosthetic and orthotic workforce
  • BAPO Practice Based Learning Framework
  • BAPO Provision of early career support to prosthetists and orthotists

General

  • Reasonable Adjustments
  • HCPC CPD audit document
  • Preparing to apply for jobs in prosthetics and orthotics
  • Database search guide
  • Learners welcome pack
  • Graduate welcome pack instructions
  • Graduate welcome pack
  • Expanding the potential of the P&O Technician and Support workforce into patient-facing roles
  • BAPO Careers Development Framework for Prosthetists and Orthotists
  • BAPO Curriculum Guidance for the pre-registration education of prosthetists and orthotists
  • Funding prosthetic and orthotic Apprenticeships
  • Open Athens flyer
  • BAPO Early career guidance framework for prosthetics and orthotics

Patient leaflets and referral forms

Diabetes Foot Leaflets

  • Advice for looking after your Charcot foot to reduce the risk of amputation
  • High-Risk of non – healing wounds and amputation
  • Footwear advice to reduce the risk of non-healing foot wounds or amputation
  • Advice to help you care for your feet on holiday
  • Looking after your foot in remission, to reduce the risk of further ulcers and amputation
  • Looking after your foot ulcer to reduce the risk of amputation
  • Low risk of non-healing wounds and amputation
  • Moderate risk of non-healing wounds and amputation

Referral Forms

  • Orthotic Outpatient Referral Form
  • Orthotic Spinal Referral Form
  • Orthotic In-patient Referral Form

Reports

  • An exploration of practice-based learning in prosthetics and orthotics in the United Kingdom
  • An exploration of inclusive practices for Disabled learners in UK prosthetics and orthotic higher education programmes
  • BAPO Workforce Mapping Document
  • The impact of commissioning and contracts on the training education and development of prosthetists and orthotists

We also contribute to wider professional dialogue through collaborative work with external partners, including the National Orthotics Managers Group (NOMAG), the Scottish Clinical Orthotics leads (SCOL), the Prosthetics Managers Group, The all Wales Orthotics Group, The British healthcare Trades Association, and other stakeholders in education, regulation, and policy.

Driving the Profession Forward

By developing and maintaining these standards and guidance documents, BAPO plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of prosthetics and orthotics in the UK. These resources not only enhance day-to-day clinical practice but also contribute to national healthcare priorities, academic research, and workforce sustainability.

Audit Templates

Coming soon

Footer

Search

  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram

Recent Posts

  • Job Advert – Livewell Southwest – Prosthetist/Orthotist Band 5, Plymouth
  • BAPO Teatime Talk – Introduction to the Glass Tracing Alignment Method; A Novel, Low-Cost Alignment Transfer Method for Lower-Limb Prostheses and Orthoses
  • BAPO Teatime Talk – Lower Limb Function, Gait Analysis & Orthotic Utilisation
  • EXPLORE YOUR PARALYMPIC POTENTIALSwimming, Triathlon, Athletics and Cycling
  • NEW Dates BAPO Short Course – MSK Foot & Ankle: Holistic Management & Treatment Strategies – Chesterfield 6-7 October 2025

BAPO

The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) was established to encourage high standards of prosthetic and orthotic practice. It is committed to Continued Professional Development and education to enhance standards of prosthetic and orthotic care.

BAPO Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of the Association, company number SC270569

Terms and Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

BAPO Secretariat

British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO)
Clyde Offices
2nd Floor
48 West George Street
Glasgow
G2 1BP

Tel: 0141 561 7217
Email: enquiries@bapo.com

Opening Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Fri: 9:00am – 12 midday

Copyright © 2025 · The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT