The British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics

Search Results for: work experience

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What is Climate Adaptation? Have Your Say as an #AHP

Climate adaptation refers to how we adjust to actual or expected climate changes and their impacts, helping to reduce harm while also making the most of any potential opportunities. 

As an Allied Health Professional, your insight is vital. 

You are invited to take part in a national survey exploring how climate-related events such as floods, storms, and heatwaves are already affecting patient care and service delivery, and how these challenges may evolve in the future. 

Climate change is no longer a distant issue; it is already impacting the NHS. Extreme weather events are disrupting services, increasing patient vulnerability, and placing additional pressure on resources. By sharing your experiences, you will contribute to a collective effort to: 

Protect and improve patient care

Strengthen service resilience

Shape how AHP services adapt to climate challenges

Please consider completing this survey as it will help to plan future GreenerAHP work on climate adaptations, it takes less than 10 minutes to complete. You are welcome to skip demographic questions by selecting “prefer not to say.” 

A detailed participant information sheet is available on the Greener AHP workspace on Future NHS. For any queries, please contact: [england.cahpo@nhs.net]

Your voice matters, thank you for helping shape the future of AHP services. 

Take part here: https://lnkd.in/eMVgsdN9

Please watch this short animation demonstrating the connection between work to reduce climate change and health inequalities, and the impact AHPs can make on this agenda: https://lnkd.in/eufjHg6p

Greener AHP week 1Download
Greener AHP week 2Download
Greener AHP week 3Download
#GreenerAHP Week Digital Assets (v03)Download

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NIHR Developing Research Leader Programme | APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Dear colleagues,

We are excited to announce the launch of the NIHR Developing Research Leader (DRL) Programme for Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals (AHPs). This is a unique opportunity for Nurses, Midwives and AHPs to develop their research leadership skills and embed a positive research culture within their organisations. Please can we ask you to share this information with your colleagues and across your networks.

NIHR DEVELOPING RESEARCH LEADER PROGRAMME APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Are you a Nurse, Midwife or AHP committed to leading and supporting others to embed research in health and care practice?

Do you have a good understanding of research?

Do you aspire to develop your research leadership skills and promote an inclusive research culture?

If so, the NIHR Developing Research Leader (DRL) Programme for Nurses, Midwives and AHPs could be an excellent fit for you. The programme offers you the opportunity to lead research capacity and capability initiatives in your organisation. You will use your knowledge, skills and personal experiences to motivate and enable others to get involved in research activities that help improve health and care outcomes. As a DRL, you will receive guidance and practical support as you pioneer research leadership activities.

This opportunity is open to all Nurses, Midwives and AHPs who meet the DRL eligibility criteria, regardless of current band/grade or salary, and can demonstrate a passion for embedding research in health and care settings.

Visit our website to learn more about the programme and stay informed about the application process. 

Please also come along to our upcoming information webinar! To book your place simply fill out this form and you will receive a calendar invite to join a webinar: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/developing-research-leaders-webinar-sign-form?token=c6094abf4816e12c126de71b865a7e616e735f4290271892be103f75736cf3ad.

Managers who wish to support team members in applying are also welcome.


For any questions, please contact drl@nihr.ac.uk

Kind regards
The DRL Team

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Phase 2 of the Supervision Hub on the Gwella HEIW (Health Education and Improvement Wales) Leadership Portalis now live!

Building on the foundations of Phase 1, this updated version provides an improved, more intuitive experience and expanded content to further support high‑quality supervision across health and social care in Wales. These enhancements are informed by user feedback and continue to be aligned with the principles of the A‑EQUIP model, supporting professional development, wellbeing, compassionate leadership, and improved service outcomes.

Key improvements include:

  • A redesigned and more accessible layout
    – making navigation simpler for all
  • Updated guidance, tools, and resources 
    – to better support supervision in practice
  • Expanded profession‑specific information
    – with clearer signposting relevant to different roles and regulatory requirements
  • A more streamlined structure 
    – that helps users quickly find content relevant
  • Improved links to national policies, standards and good practice
    – strengthening shared understanding across the workforce.

We would like to encourage you to explore the new and improved site and make use of the resources available. You can access the profession‑specific information here: 
https://nhswalesleadershipportal.heiw.wales/supervision/role
or to learn more about our work visit:
Supervision Hub for health and social care professionals: Phase 2 – HEIW

We will continue to expand this content further and so feedback remains extremely important. If BAPO members have any comments or suggestions, please share them via our feedback form linked on the site.

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AHPQI awards nominations are open!

These awards are a way of celebrating and showcasing the quality improvement work of all AHPs, registered and support workforce, learners, and educators, across all sectors in the United Kingdom.

Nominations are open to anyone in the AHP family; our academic education partners, learners doing projects or dissertations as part of their education, support workers and registered staff who undertake projects relating to clinical services or professional activities.

🌳 TREE indicates the nomination categories available, and its branches represent our themes that include; people, spread and adoption/adaption, co-production, impact, and outcome:

T: Transfer of knowledge, experience or learning to someone else

Nominate an individual or team who have shared their knowledge, experience, and learning to help others progress their QI skills. This could be a QI champion or ambassador.

R: Reuse, spot a great QI idea, adapt and implement it in your area

Nominations for this category are for projects that delivered an improvement and change, adopted and adapted for excellence from an original innovation elsewhere, to avoid reinventing the wheel.

E: Everyone, involving stakeholders, patients and public to ensure sustainability

Nominations for this category are for projects where inclusivity and accessibility were considered, and co-production is central from design to delivery.

E: Effectiveness, demonstrating impact on outcomes

Nominations for this category are for projects that demonstrate clear measurable improvement for service users or staff, translating evidence into practice and delivering data driven outcomes. This could be streamlining services, financial or cost savings, improves recruitment and retention of staff.

An expert judging panel from across the national AHPQI network has been put together. Nominations will be judged during April and May.

We will be celebrating the winners of each category at an online virtual awards event on Wednesday 17th June from 12:30 to 13:45. The winners will be showcasing their work with a presentation.

Nominations open now

Nominate an individual, a team, or yourself, by completing the online nomination form, before 5pm on Friday 27th March 2026. Repost and share widely. https://lnkd.in/eXXrcrWJ

This is also a good way of shining the light on our profession and what we do. Let’s bring the awards home.

If you have any questions, email us at alliedhealthqi@gmail.com

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PRESS RELEASE OTWorld 2026: Orthopaedic treatment and care in times of crisis

Orthopaedic treatment and care in times of crisis

OTWorld 2026 provides impetus for crisis-proof care structures

As the world’s most important meeting place for modern orthopaedic treatment and care, OTWorld 2026 will put key future issues in healthcare on the agenda. From 19 to 22 May 2026 in Leipzig, the OTWorld World Congress will address the question of how orthopaedic treatment and care can be reliably provided in times of crisis and conflict. The focus will be on supply chains that enable people to remain mobile, self-determined and involved even under exceptional circumstances.

Crisis and conflict situations place special demands on healthcare systems. Injuries require effective acute care, early, quality-assured medical aids, and closely linked rehabilitation. Orthopaedic treatment thereby often begins in the acute phase, accompanies the transition to rehabilitation and forms the basis for the long-term effectiveness of therapeutic measures. This creates continuous care pathways that promote a return to a self-determined life.

Proactively strengthening supply chains

The congress specifically addresses this systemic perspective. In a symposium on rehabilitation in conflict situations, experts from the fields of medicine, rehabilitation and care practice will discuss how supply chains can be made resilient and how phase-related and cross-sector treatment pathways can be successfully implemented even when there are large numbers of seriously injured people. Topics include preparation for emergencies, accelerated rehabilitation concepts in exceptional situations, and the transition from joint replacement implants to external prostheses after amputation.

Another symposium will emphasize the European perspective. The focus will be on surgical approaches to treating war injuries, strategic considerations for civil-military cooperation, and the further development of prosthetics and orthotics in highly fluctuating care conditions.

Prosthetics and orthotics as a cornerstone of modern care

As the world’s largest meeting place for modern orthopaedic treatment and care, OTWorld makes it clear that prosthetics and orthotics are a central component of efficient healthcare systems. Prostheses, orthoses and wheelchairs support mobilisation from the outset and enable rehabilitation, participation and quality of life. The value of interdisciplinary and internationally networked care structures is particularly evident in times of crisis and conflict.

Training meets practice and market

The congress focuses on three main topics: rehabilitation, training and integrative care. The programme is complemented by contributions on prosthetics, orthotics, orthopaedic footwear technology, compression therapy, digital transformation, medical aid research and global care strategies. It thus brings together the entire range of training opportunities for all those involved in orthopaedic treatment and care under one roof.

International Trade Show with a global perspective

Parallel to the World Congress, the International Trade Show showcases the entire spectrum of modern orthopaedic treatment and care – from innovative technologies and products to practical solutions for different care settings.
A special focus is on prosthetic care after amputation. OTWorld offers a globally unique overview of the corresponding care options: prosthesis manufacturers present their solutions as well as concepts for different care realities – even under difficult conditions in crisis regions.

Experienced care centres introduce themselves and share their practical experience, including Superhumans from Kiev, Ukraine, with insights into the care of war wounded. Aid projects such as Pro Uganda also provide insights into their work and show how sustainable care structures can be established in different regions.

In addition, organisations that train specialists and that are urgently needed locally in the provision of medical aids, including Human Study e.V., will be presenting themselves. They will illustrate how training, knowledge transfer and international cooperation contribute to strengthening supply systems in the long term.

The World Congress and Trade Show combine further training, exchange and market overview, making OTWorld the central meeting place for all players in the field of orthopaedic treatment and care.
 
Access to OTWorld 2026

The ticket shop for OTWorld 2026 is now open. OTWorld full tickets (OTWorld COMPLETE) are available, which include access to the World Congress and the International Trade Show. An early bird rate is available until 31 March, offering savings of up to 80.00 EUR. Discounted day tickets are further available for pupils, students and trainees – with a reduced OTWorld COMPLETE ticket at 89.00 EUR and a reduced OTWorld TRADE SHOW ticket at 21.00 EUR (valid proof of eligibility must be presented). A special Trade Show Group ticket at a reduced ticket price of 29.00 EUR can be recommended for visitor groups with a minimum of four attendees who would like to attend the International Trade Show, including all workshops (exhibitor and congress workshops). Separate two-day tickets are also available for participants of the Youth Academy for Technical Orthopaedics (JA.TO). An early bird rate with a saving of 10.00 EUR is available until 31 March.

Further information on the congress programme is available online here. The ticket shop can be accessed here.
 

Further information 
About OTWorld
About Leipziger Messe

Press contacts:
Anja Hummel    
Press Contact for OTWorld
Leipziger Messe GmbH                                   
Phone: +49 (0)341 678-6528                           
Email: a.hummel@leipziger-messe.de      
 
Ruth Justen
Press Contact for OTWorld  and
German Association of Orthopaedic Technology (BIV-OT)
Phone: +49 (0) 231 5570-5052
Mobile: +49 (0) 151 2805-2860
E-Mail: ruth.justen@biv-ot.org

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Prosthetics and Orthotics Awareness Campaign

Prosthetic and orthotic services quietly underpin independence, mobility, and quality of life for thousands of people across the UK. Yet the vital work they deliver, the people who rely on them, and the skilled workforce that makes it possible are too often overlooked. This campaign exists to change that. It is about raising awareness of the real value of prosthetic and orthotic services and why they must be recognised, supported, and protected.

We are launching something bigger than a campaign. We are launching a shared movement.

The Prosthetics and Orthotics Awareness campaign brings patients, professionals, charities, stakeholders, and industry together as One Voice. It is a collective statement that these services matter, that the people who deliver them matter, and that the lives shaped by them matter.

The campaign will run from February 2nd until August 31st 2026, creating space over several months to listen, learn, and speak up together.

Prosthetic and orthotic services are often misunderstood as simply devices. In reality, they are skilled healthcare. They are built on clinical expertise, long term relationships, and deep understanding of individual needs. Delivered by highly trained professionals, these services support independence, dignity, mobility, and participation in everyday life. They change lives every single day.

Over the course of the campaign, we will be sharing videos, images, and quotes from representatives across the profession and from those who use these services. These voices will tell their own stories about how prosthetics and orthotics have impacted their lives and why they value prosthetic and orthotic services. Together, they will show the human reality behind the care.

Through this campaign, we are standing together to say that prosthetic and orthotic services deserve recognition, investment, and protection. Patients, clinicians, charities, and industry partners are speaking together to highlight the value of care that is personal, expert, and life changing.

This is why we value Prosthetic and Orthotic Services.

#WhyWeValuePO
#OneVoicePO
#ValuePO
#ProstheticsAndOrthotics
#PatientsAndProfessionals

Join the #ValueYourP&OTeam Campaign

Information for People Who Use Prosthetic & Orthotic Services

Prosthetic and orthotic (P&O) services change lives. This campaign is about making sure the public, decision-makers, and politicians understand just how important these services, and the people who deliver them really are.

If you have ever benefited from prosthetic or orthotic care, your voice can make a real difference.

You can take part in whatever way feels comfortable for you.

How You Can Get Involved

  1. Share a 30-Second Video

Record a short portrait video (around 30 seconds) explaining:

  • Why prosthetic and/or orthotic services matter to you
  • How they support your independence, mobility, confidence, or daily life
  • Finish with “that is why I value the prosthetic and orthotic services”

Tips:

  • Use your phone.  it doesn’t need to be professional
  • Film vertically if posting on social media
  • Speak in your own words, authenticity matters more than polish
  1. Share a Short Quote

Write one or two sentences explaining why you value P&O services.

You might say:

  • “My prosthetic allows me to live independently and do the things I love.”
  • “Orthotic support helps me stay mobile and active every day.”

You can post this:

  • As text on social media
  • Over a photo
  • As part of a campaign graphic
  1. Share Your Story

Tell your story in more detail if you feel able:

  • How prosthetics or orthotics have helped you
  • What access to good services means for your future

This could be:

  • A social media post
  • A short video
  • A written story shared with the campaign team

Every experience is valid — long or short, simple or detailed.

  1. Contact Your MP

You can help influence change by contacting your local MP.

Let them know:

  • This campaign is running
  • Why you support prosthetic and orthotic services
  • How these services impact your life

Ask them to:

  • Support prosthetic and orthotic services
  • Champion P&O care publicly and politically

Personal messages from people with lived experience are powerful.

  1. Share the Campaign with Local Media

Local newspapers and radio stations are often keen to share real stories.

You could:

  • Tell them about the campaign
  • Share your personal experience of P&O services
  • Explain why these services matter in your community

This helps take the message beyond social media.

Where to Share

You can post your content on:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X (Twitter)
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok

Or share directly with campaign partners if you prefer not to post publicly.

Hashtags to Use

Please include one or more of the official campaign hashtags so posts can be found and shared:

  • #ValueYourOrthotist
  • #ValueYourProsthetist
  • #ValueYourTechnician
  • #ValueYourSupportWorker
  • #ValueYourP&OTeam

A Final Message

You do not need to be a campaigner or a public speaker to take part. Your lived experience is enough.

By sharing your voice, you are helping protect and promote the prosthetic and orthotic services that so many people rely on.

Please send your videos to kate.pugh@bapo.com 

Thank you for being part of this campaign

 

For more information about the campaign you can visit www.bapo.com

Please also see the filming guide below:

Prosthetic and Orthotic Campaign Filming guidanceDownload

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Association Partner Programme

The BAPO Association Partner Programme exists to strengthen global collaboration across the prosthetic and orthotic profession. The challenges facing prosthetics and orthotics, workforce sustainability, access to education, regulation, innovation, and patient need, do not stop at national borders. Global issues require global responses, and this partnership is designed to make that possible.

Through this programme, BAPO and its partner Associations commit to supporting one another through shared knowledge, shared resources, and aligned advocacy. By working together, we can raise the international profile of the prosthetic and orthotic profession, amplify professional voices, and promote consistent standards of care worldwide.

For BAPO members, these partnerships expand professional horizons, connecting the UK profession to international perspectives, innovation, and best practice. For partner Associations and their members, the programme provides access to high quality education, professional resources, and platforms that support learning, visibility, and engagement.

At its core, this partnership is about collective strength. By collaborating globally, we build a more connected, informed, and resilient profession that is better equipped to serve patients, support practitioners, and shape the future of prosthetics and orthotics together.

Association Partner flyerDownload

If you are interested in becoming an Association Partner please contact enquiries@bapo.com 

Association Partners

The association was founded as early as 1946 with the aim of promoting higher qualifications and professional standards within the field, monitoring developments, and working to ensure that its members achieved fair and equitable standards in terms of employment conditions and remuneration

The Swedish Prosthetics and Orthotics Association (SOIF) is a politically independent professional organization. Our work is guided by the values of a democratic society governed by the rule of law, as reflected in Swedish legislation as well as in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

SOIF exists to represent and support the professional interests of orthopedic engineers in Sweden.

In practice, this means that we work to:

  • Promote strong opportunities for continuing professional development, advanced training, and research
  • Advocate for good employment conditions and a healthy working environment
  • Initiate, organize, and contribute to education that strengthens and develops the role of the orthopedic engineer
  • Enhance the visibility and impact of orthopedic engineers within the healthcare system
  • Support a knowledgeable, responsible profession that is well prepared to work both nationally and internationally

We greatly value collaboration with our international sister organizations and see strong potential in sharing knowledge, experience, and best practice to further strengthen our profession together

SOTF was founded in 1980 with the purpose of creating an association to meet orthopedic technicians’ needs for continuing education and knowledge exchange. Everyone working in the orthopedic technology field as a production technician/orthopedic technician is welcome as a member. A large proportion of Sweden’s orthopedic technicians are members of SOTF.

SOTF organizes webinars, training courses, and study visits. We collaborate with other interest organizations when arranging conferences.

SOTF awards generous travel grants to its members for professional development within the field.

 

NITO Ortopedi is Norways’ network for certified prosthetists and orthotists in the workforce, and includes students and retirees. The network brings together professionals from across the country and plays a central role in strengthening the orthopaedic engineering profession, promoting members’ interests, and supporting high‑quality services for patients.

The purpose of NITO Ortopedi is to strengthen the professional community and ensure that prosthetists and orthotists have access to updated knowledge, professional meeting places, and relevant training opportunities.

This is done by work focused to:

  • develop and strengthen the profession
  • influence framework conditions and policy
  • safeguard the members’ professional and occupational interests
  • ensure quality, ethics, and competence within the field
  • be an active and visible voice in dialogue with authorities and industry stakeholders

The network offers conferences, thematic meetings, and opportunities for professional development, including grant schemes that support research and innovation within the field. It also functions as a channel for job postings and professional information for its members.

The overall aim of the network is to serve as a unifying and driving force for the profession, contribute to quality and patient safety, and ensure that the expertise of prosthetists and orthotists is recognized and valued within the health and welfare system.

The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) – Saudi Arabia is the national chapter of ISPO, dedicated to advancing education, research, and professional collaboration in the field of prosthetics, orthotics, and rehabilitation. The chapter works to support clinicians, researchers, and industry partners by promoting knowledge exchange, professional development, and improved standards of care for individuals with physical disabilities across Saudi Arabia.

The network offers conferences, thematic meetings, and opportunities for professional development, including grant schemes that support research and innovation within the field. It also functions as a channel for job postings and professional information for its members.

The overall aim of the network is to serve as a unifying and driving force for the profession, contribute to quality and patient safety, and ensure that the expertise of prosthetists and orthotists is recognized and valued within the health and welfare system.

The Latvian Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists is an organization for certified prosthetists, orthotists, and students. The organization operates on member self-initiative and is established to promote the development of the prosthetics and orthotics profession in Latvia.

The purpose of the Association is:

* to promote the development of the profession of prosthetist and orthotist in Latvia;

* to promote cooperation among members and with the multidisciplinary team;

* to ensure the professional education and continuing professional development of prosthetists and orthotists;

* to defend and represent the professional interests of members;

* to develop a network with professional organizations in the fields of health and social welfare, as well as with educational and research institutions.

It is a great honor to join a network of professionals in the prosthetics and orthotics field. We see this as an opportunity to elevate the knowledge and practical skills of members in order to strengthen the professional field.

 

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BAPO Teatime Talk – Progressing Practice-based learning as the future of our profession

Details

Join us for an interactive Teatime Talk where we will discuss practice-based learning (PrBL), and how learning opportunities develop the future of our profession.

 

This engaging session is aimed at all members of the prosthetic and orthotic workforce. If you are just starting your career, have years of clinical experience or are somewhere in between, we want to hear your views and ideas. We encourage participation in discussion for an “All teach, all learn” approach.

We will explore and discuss how practice-based learning can drive innovation and strengthen the future Prosthetics and Orthotics workforce.

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BAPO Teatime Talk – Progressing Practice-based learning as the future of our profession

Details

Join us for an interactive Teatime Talk where we will discuss practice-based learning (PrBL), and how learning opportunities develop the future of our profession.

 

This engaging session is aimed at all members of the prosthetic and orthotic workforce. If you are just starting your career, have years of clinical experience or are somewhere in between, we want to hear your views and ideas. We encourage participation in discussion for an “All teach, all learn” approach.

We will explore and discuss how practice-based learning can drive innovation and strengthen the future Prosthetics and Orthotics workforce.

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BAPO Bitesize

Introducing BAPO Bitesize

Designed for the prosthetics and orthotics community, with relevance for colleagues across the wider multidisciplinary team.

BAPO Bitesize is the online, on demand education resource from the British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics (BAPO), created to support learning across the prosthetics and orthotics community.

Built for busy professionals, BAPO Bitesize delivers concise, accessible learning that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Each course supports continuing professional development (CPD) while helping you stay informed about current thinking, practical approaches, and best practice in prosthetics and orthotics.

Courses are developed and delivered by experts in the field and the wider multidisciplinary team, ensuring the content reflects real clinical experience, collaborative practice, and current professional knowledge.

Whether you are looking to refresh your knowledge, explore new topics, or build your CPD portfolio, BAPO Bitesize provides flexible learning that fits around your schedule.

Why BAPO Bitesize?

Flexible learning
Access short, focused modules online whenever it suits you.

Delivered by experts
Courses are developed and delivered by experienced professionals working in prosthetics and orthotics and across the wider multidisciplinary team.

Designed for the P&O community
Created for prosthetists and orthotists, technicians, support workers, and learners, with learning that is also relevant to colleagues across the wider MDT.

Support your CPD
Use BAPO Bitesize to maintain and evidence your continuing professional development.

Practical and relevant
Courses focus on real world practice, emerging ideas, and key professional topics.

BAPO Member Pricing

BAPO members receive discounted access to BAPO Bitesize learning:

£4.99 per module
£25 for a complete course (6 modules)

Non-Member Pricing

£9.99 per module
£55 for a complete course

Look for courses that are pre-approved by OETT at BAPO member prices.

Available BAPO Bitesize Courses

BAPO Bitesize offers a growing collection of short courses designed to support learning across prosthetics and orthotics practice.

Explore the available BAPO Bitesize courses and start learning today.

Go To BAPO Bitesize