The specialty that is Orthopaedia, was born out of the vast, tragic loss and disfigurement of limb, caused by the conflict of the First World War in 1914 - 1918. Since this time, through systematic research carried out by dedicated pioneers, the advancement of the science, art and practice of orthopaedic surgery has accelerated beyond even the wildest imaginations of those first few pioneers, the 12 founding fathers of our Association.
Today, the wealth of knowledge that we have gathered over the years about our bodies and the importance of how the musculoskeletal framework underpins all that we dream and aspire to carry out in our lives is so great, that many orthopaedic surgeons find themselves dedicating their training and practice to one specific sub-specialty in order to gain the highest level of expertise possible.
We are proud to list our 16 Specialist Societies. Each of these societies operates autonomously from the BOA but which are brought together in a symbiotic relationship by our Board of Specialist Societies (BSS) to advance our collective understanding of knowledge. We do provide a level of administrative support to the majority of these societies, although this dynamic is changing to reflect new business requirement through alternative models of support based on the BOA infrastructure.
The following is a brief snapshot of our societies. For further information, please contact the society direct:
British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK)
BASK serves to provide a support and educational role to UK knee surgeons. It has one of the largest memberships of the specialist societies, which reflects the ever-growing development of this field of orthopaedics. Education is provided by the regular BASK meetings and sessions at BOA conferences, specific courses for trainees, and members receiving the Knee Journal. The new website will enhance this in the future. There are a number of generous research awards and travelling fellowships available to the membership
Date of next meeting: 3rd - 4th April 2012, The Roundhouse, Derby
Current President: Mr Timothy Wilton 2010 - 2012
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
British Association of Spinal Surgeons (BASS)
www.spinesurgeons.ac.uk/
BASS actively promotes the study of spinal disorders with particular attention to the surgical treatment of spinal disease and disorders.
Date of next meeting: 2 – 4th May 2012 - Gateshead
Current President: Mr Tim Germon
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
T: 020 7406 1763 F: 020 7831 2676 h.choules@boa.ac.uk
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British Elbow and Shoulder Society (BESS)
The British Elbow and Shoulder Society was founded as a result of an increasing interest in shoulder and elbow surgery in the UK in the early 1980s, and particularly after a very successful Third ICSS meeting in Japan. The stimulus came from Michael Watson, who wrote the following letter on 3 November 1986: 'I think the time has come to take the bull by the horns and seriously consider the nuts and bolts of setting up a British Shoulder Surgery Association. I am sure that we are going to start to get enquiries for our corporate stance on technical administration. As a result of that letter the founding members of BESS met on 28 March 1987 at 92 Harley Street in London and set up the Society. The meetings of BESS have been held annually, the next one booked for June 2012.
Date of next meeting: June 2012 (Venue TBC)
Current President: Mr Andy Carr
Contact: Claire Wilson, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
T: 020 7406 1756 F: 020 7831 2676 secretary@bess.org.uk
British Foot & Ankle Society (BOFAS)
http://www.bofas.org.uk/
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The British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society started out as BOFSS (British Orthopaedic Foot Surgery Society) an informal society, in 1975, under the Presidency of the late Mr Basil Helal and gained its current charitable status in 1980. It has over 400 members including orthopaedic and foot and ankle surgeons and also affiliate members belonging to various allied health professions.
BOFAS has grown into one of the larger subspecialist societies of the BOA and considers itself to be a friendly, dynamic and progressively thinking society with the deep-rooted ideals of promoting the study of, research into and propagation of knowledge in foot and ankle surgery. It directs policy and achieves consensus in the treatment of foot and ankle pathology and allied medical issues. It runs a very successful annual scientific meeting annually which includes instructional components for all levels of seniority.
The Society is a member of the European Foot and Ankle Society and the International Federation of Foot and Ankle Societies.
Membership of the society is open to UK consultants with a special interest in foot and ankle surgery and is also open to international fellows. The Society considers grant applications for research in foot and ankle surgery, offers travelling fellowships to trainees as also educational bursaries for Allied health professionals.
Date of Next Meeting: 14 - 16 November, Celtic Manor, Newport
Current President: Mr Kartik Hariharan
Contact: Rosemarie Ricciardi, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
T: 020 7406 1768 F: 020 7831 2676 r.ricciardi@boa.ac.uk
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British Hip Society (BHS)
The British Hip Society was conceived during the 1989 autumn meeting of the BOA when Hugh Phillips suggested the idea to Michael Freeman and Robin Ling. They were both enthusiastic and the first meeting took place at the Royal Society of Medicine during the following November. They currently have around 350 members, and this grows each year with their Annual General Meeting.
Date of next meeting: 28th Feb – 2nd March, Manchester
Current President: Mr John Hodgkinson
Contact: Claire Wilson, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
T: 020 7406 1756 F: 020 7831 2676 c.wilson@boa.ac.uk
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British Limb Reconstruction Society (BLRS)
The BLRS was founded in 1997 with the object of bringing together surgeons and allied professionals involved in the management of congenital and acquired deformities of the upper and lower limbs, reconstruction of post traumatic limb defects and limb equalisation techniques. The Society aims to advance education and research in the field of limb reconstruction and holds regular scientific meetings and training courses. The Society is affiliated with the British Orthopaedic Association and with the International ASAMI (Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov).
Date of next meeting: 22 – 23 March 2012 – Hull
Current President: Mr Sunil Dhar
Contact: Claire Wilson, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
British Orthopaedic Oncology Society (BOOS)
The purpose of the British Orthopaedic Oncology Society is to promote discussion of oncological issues amongst Orthopaedic Surgeons in the United Kingdom. Membership is limited to clinicians with a declared interest in Orthopaedic Oncology. There is no membership fee.
Date of next meeting: 27th April 2012 , Leicester Tigers RFC
Current President: Professor Tim Briggs FRCS, MD
Contact: Claire Wilson, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
T: 020 7406 1756 F: 020 7831 2676 c.wilson@boa.ac.uk
British Orthopaedic Research Society (BORS)
The British Orthopaedic Research Society (BORS) is a multidisciplinary association founded in 1961 and devoted to pursuing research relevant to orthopaedic and musculoskeletal surgery. The research interests of its membership (currently over 700) are varied and include: Biological Science, Biomechanics, Osteo-articular Pathology, Biotribology, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Medical Imaging, Patient Management
Date of next meeting: TBC
Current President: Prof Allen Goodship
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
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British Orthopaedic Specialists Association (BOSA)
BOSA is affiliated to the British Orthopaedic Association and is dedicated to providing information, liaison, and support to SAS orthopaedic surgeons in the UK.
Date of next meeting: 2012 CANCELLED
Current President: Mr Awani Choudhary
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
British Orthopaedic Sports Trauma & Arthroscopy Association (BOSTAA)
BOSTAA is the society for orthopaedic surgeons with an interest in the management of sports trauma. We include all anatomical sub-specialties but encourage an interest in the non-surgical aspects of sports medicine. We have links with national and international societies in the field of sports medicine. We have around a hundred members. BOSTAA hosts very popular sessions during the BOA annual congress and are expanding the number of courses we offer around the country. We aim to improve the understanding of the management of the sportsman/woman with a sporting injury, from dealing with the causes of injury managing the injury itself through to the return to sporting activity. Sports and exercise medicine is now recognised by the UK government as a specialty in its own right. With the prospect of the UK hosting the Olympic games approaching, sports medicine will become more important and sports trauma will be an integral part of that.
Date of next meeting: 1 – 30 Nov – World Sports Trauma Conference - London
Current President: Mr Roger Hackney
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
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British Orthopaedic Trainees Association (BOTA)
The British Orthopaedic Trainees Association (BOTA) is a British Orthopaedic Association affiliated society representing more than 1200 orthopaedic trainees in the UK. Our membership is open to SpR’s in trauma & orthopaedic training, senior SHO’s dedicated to a career in orthopaedics and consultants of less than two years standing. We aim to represent our membership and provide information, liaison and support.
The BOTA committee is an elected group of 12 members who represent the membership on many committees including the BOA, RCSEng, RCSEd, BMA Junior Doctors committee, JCHST and SAC. We hope to influence the future of orthopaedic training, maintaining high standards of education wherever possible.
Date of next meeting: TBC
Current President: Ms Emily Baird
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
British Scoliosis Society (BSS)
The British Scoliosis Society represents surgeons, healthcare workers and researchers interested in the nature of and treatment of scoliosis and complex spine disorders. The principal object of the Society is to provide a forum for the study of the origin, natural history and treatment of spinal deformities.
Date of next meeting: 2 – 4th May 2012 - Gateshead
Current President: Mr Mike Gibson
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery
www.bscos.com
The Society was founded in 1984 with the aim of promoting Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery in the UK and is affiliated to the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA), The European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society (EPOS) and the Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA).
The Society has representation on the Standing Liaison Committee of the British Orthopaedic Association. It provides a forum for discussion of research, advances in clinical practice and the results of surgical procedures pertaining to the practice of children's orthopaedics and trauma.
Membership is open to UK orthopaedic consultants for whom paediatric orthopaedics represents a substantial part of their practice and professional interest.
The Society meets twice a year for a full day meeting involving lectures and papers, and contributes regularly to instructional sessions at the British Orthopaedic Association Congresses. There are also joint meetings with our French counterparts in Société Française d'Orthopédie Pédiatrique.
Date of next meeting: 27 January 2012 - Belfast
Current President: Mr James Hunter
Contact: Claire Wilson, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
T: 020 7406 1756 F: 020 7831 2676 c.wilson@boa.ac.uk
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British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH)
The British Society for Surgery of the Hand includes over 700 Plastic, Orthopaedic and Hand surgeons, trainees and health professionals who provide care for the injured and disordered hand.
The Society is a powerful force in promoting and directing the development of Hand Surgery in the United Kingdom. It co-ordinates education and research in this field. The Society organises two scientific meetings each year. It also disseminates knowledge through the “Journal of Hand Surgery” which it has published since 1984 and, before that, as the “Hand” since 1969. The Society has been running Instructional Courses for surgeons and trainees across Europe since 1999. These cover the entire curriculum in Hand Surgery in cycles of three years.
The Society is a member of the Federation of European Societies for Surgery of the Hand (FESSH) and the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFFSH).
A Hand Club had existed in the UK since 1952, having been formed by a few eminent hand surgeons at a dinner in the Athenaeum. The “Second Hand Club” was established in 1956 to widen the membership and subsequently expanded into the British Society for Surgery of the Hand when it changed its constitution on 15th November 1968.
Date of next meetings: 3-4 MAy 2012, London (Spring), 11 - 12 Oct 2012, York, (Autumn)
Current President: Mr Stewart Watson
Contact: BSSH Secretariat, The Royal College of Surgeons, 35 - 43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE
Tel: 020 7831 5162 Fax: 020 7831 4041 secretariat@bssh.ac.uk
British Trauma Society (BTS)
The BTS is an active society formed to promote education and research in the care of the injured. The society is multidisciplinary and welcomes members from all specialties involved in the care of trauma patients, including allied healthcare professionals and medical students.
Date of next meeting: 16th - 18th May 2012, Queens Hotel, Leeds
Current President: Mr A D Patel
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
Society for Back Pain Research (SBPR)
The Society for Back Pain Research aims to promote the study of pain in the spine. The Society stimulates research into the causes, prevention and treatment of back pain by providing interdisciplinary meetings for those involved in such research to present discuss and disseminate the results of their work.
The Society for Back Pain Research was formed in 1971 to promote the study of all clinical and scientific aspects of spinal pain, including the neck, and to encourage research into its causes, treatment and prevention. There are now over 200 members of the Society, from a wide range of disciplines including clinicians such as Orthopaedic Surgeons, Rheumatologists, Neurologists and General Practitioners, basic scientists including Biochemists, Bioengineers, Anatomists and Epidemiologists as well as various other practitioners including Physiotherapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors.
Scientific meetings are held yearly and non-members are welcome to attend. Papers on various aspects of back pain research are presented and discussed and the best abstracts in each year are published in the JBJS. Symposia are devoted to specific topics of particular current relevance. Every effort is made to keep the costs of the meetings to a minimum.
Membership of the Society is open to any clinical or scientific worker who has an active interest in back pain research and who wishes to further the aims of the Society.
Date of next meeting: 2 - 4 May 2012, Gateshead
Current President: Prof Alison McGregor
Contact: Hazel Choules, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
World Orthopaedic Concern (WOC)
WOC is a charitable organisation dedicated to improving the standard of orthopaedic, trauma and reconstructive surgery in developing countries.
To provide orthopaedic education in the developing world and about the developing world.
To give help and advice to those setting up orthopaedic training and service programmes
in the developing world.
To act as a pressure group in the UK to the NHS and to our colleagues, regarding orthopaedics
in the developing world.
- To offer practical help and support to those practicing orthopaedics and training in orthopaedics in the developing world
The British section of this organisation has particular associations with a number of projects in specific developing countries. We send experienced Orthopaedic Surgeons to such projects, where their teaching expertise can be of benefit. In addition to didactic teaching, they also provide surgical instruction in the operating theatre. Each project thus requires qualified short term volunteer Surgeons to fill these posts, whilst some further vacancies exist for British orthopaedic surgical trainees which provide experience and approved training in Orthopaedics in a developing country situation.
Date of next meeting: Manchester 2012 (During BOA Congress)
Current Chairman: Mr Steve Mannion
Contact: Claire Wilson, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
T: 020 7406 1756 F: 020 7831 2676 contact@wocuk.org
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