Joy Adamson

RCS Chair in Surgical Trials & Health Sciences, University of York

Professor Joy Adamson is RCS Chair of Surgical Trials and Health Research at one of the nice RCS Clinical Trial Centres at University of York. Joy is an experienced methodologist with a broad range of methodological expertise, encompassing trials; epidemiology; qualitative methods and mixed method research. She has been applying this skill set to a range of applied health research projects over a number of years. Her current role is to work with surgeons to generate high quality research evidence, with a focus on orthopaedic surgery. 

Nick Aresti

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Barts Health NHS Trust

Nick is a Consultant at Barts Health working across the Royal London and Whipps Cross Hospitals, where he specialises in shoulder and elbow surgery. He is the Deputy Clinical Network Lead for Orthopaedics at Barts Health and is also a Clinical Lead. He has been on the Orthopaedic Committee for two years and was recently appointed to the Vice Chair position. Nick trained on the Percivall Pott rotation and spent a year as a fellow to the National Medical Director.

Irrum Afzal

Honorary lecturer, Imperial College, BOSTAA Committee, OREF Non-Executive Board Member, NOA Director's Award, SWLEOC London

Irrum Afzal is an Imperial College London graduate and a recipient of the National Orthopaedic Alliance (NOA) Director’s Award. In addition to her academic qualifications, she holds both PRINCE2 Practitioner and Foundation certifications, demonstrating strong project management expertise.

With experience spanning both the NHS and private healthcare sectors, she brings a unique blend of research and operational insight, effectively delivering and managing numerous healthcare and research projects. Irrum has supported and overseen the delivery of multiple studies in compliance with regulatory frameworks and governance requirements. Her work is underpinned by a strong commitment to Good Clinical Practice (GCP). As a Professional Member of the Research Ethics Committee for the Health Research Authority (HRA), she holds a nationally significant role in safeguarding the ethical and scientific integrity of clinical research in the UK. Drawing on her extensive experience in the practical application of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles, she provides reviews clinical and non-clinical research ethical applications involving human participants, tissues, or data ensuring that all studies are ethically and methodologically robust, and that the rights, safety, and dignity of participants are fully protected. Irrum has published in various peer-reviewed journals, frequently presents at national and international conferences, and serves as a reviewer for The Bone & Joint Journal.

Irrum holds multiple positions of responsibility, including Vice Chair of Research and Innovation for the NOA, Board Member for OrthoAI (ORAIA), Research Committee Representative for the British Orthopaedic Sports Trauma and Arthroscopy Association (BOSTAA), and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity Lead for BOSTAA. She is also a Non-Executive Board Member of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF), and plays an active role in the Imperial College Alumni Service.

Vipin Asopa

Consultant hip and knee surgeon, SWLEOC London

Mr. Vipin Asopa PhD FRCS (Tr & Orth) is a consultant hip and knee surgeon at the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre and Senior Clinical Lecturer at St. George’s and City, University of London. He has completed a PhD in Articular Cartilage Biology at the Kennedy Institute, before completing his higher orthopaedic surgical training in North West London and fellowship training at Sportsmed.SA, Adelaide and The Royal Berkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He has received Orthopaedic Research UK funding for a study titled, ‘The use of Machine Learning in the early detection of failing total hip replacements’. He is also a computer programming coder an associate editor for AI submissions to The Knee Journal.

Tim Briggs

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, GIRFT Chair

Chair of GIRFT and NHS England National Director for Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery

Chair and National Lead of the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) and Honorary Colonel of 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital RAMC

Tim is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and was appointed National Director for Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery for NHS England in November 2022. He is Chair of the GIRFT programme and leads the roll out of GIRFT methodology across all surgical and medical specialties.

Tim was appointed to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital as a consultant in 1992. His specialist interests are in orthopaedic oncology as well as surgery to the hip and knee. He was medical director at the RNOH for 15 years, ensuring a re-build, and was president of the British Orthopaedic Association in 2014.

He is also chair and national lead of the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) and Honorary Colonel of 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital RAMC.

He was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List for services to the surgical profession.

Scarlett McNally

Professor, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Deputy Director, Centre for Perioperative Care

Professor Scarlett McNally is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in Eastbourne, UK (since 2002), Deputy Director of the Centre for Perioperative Care (Find FREE resources at www.cpoc.org.uk), Honorary Clinical Professor at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, President of the Medical Women’s Federation and previously an elected Council member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (2011-2021). She has an MA in Clinical Education and an MBA in health service management. BMJ columnist – all FREE at https://www.bmj.com/search/advanced/mcnally

Frequent speaker and regular writer. She was lead author for the Academy’s Exercise the miracle cure. She has published on careers, diversity, bullying, sustainability, perioperative care, myeloma, exercise and how to fix the NHS. Eg: preparation for surgery can reduce complications by 50%. Publications at www.scarlettmcnally.co.uk and Twitter @scarlettmcnally.

Andrea Sott

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Miss Andrea Sott works as Trauma & Orthopaedic Consultant at Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust and the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre SWLEOC since 2004.  Andrea leads her Trust’s large planned Care division as Medical Director and is Surgical Director at SWLEOC. At Georges, Epsom &St Helier Andrea furthermore chairs the Surgery Strategy group as well as the New &Novel Panel. In all her roles she strongly promotes excellent surgical care and senior clinical leadership to continuously improve services for our patients.

At BOA Andrea chairs the Orthopaedic Committee and sits on Council since 2023.

As a leader Andrea has been instrumental in achieving national top performance in hip fracture care, MSK elective recovery and patient waiting times providing mutual aid to more challenged UK regions.

Andrea maintains a GMC portfolio as an active and enthusiastic Trainer.  She has just completed 10 years as Senior Examiner for the JCIE, past Surgical Tutor and current AAC panel member for the Royal College of Surgeons continuously inspiring students, trainees and colleagues to take up professional and leadership roles in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery. Andrea is host to a well-established BOA Future Leaders Programme CCT F&A fellowship and has been invited as director/ faculty to several BOFAS and BOA courses and meetings.

She has published many papers in her field.  As member of the SWL executive R&D committee she oversees several NIHR studies some as PI, advocating evidence based surgery at all times.

Married to Simon with three children Andrea enjoys a busy family life, Gym, boating and baking with their own chicken’s eggs…

As one female surgeon amongst 52 male colleagues at SWLEOC she is keen demonstrate that a flourishing Orthopaedic career, senior leadership positions and happy fulfilling family life are indeed achievable to all.

Paul Williams

Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedics, Associate Medical Director , Swansea

Paul qualified from the University of Wales College of Medicine in 1990. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1995, obtained the Intercollegiate examination in 1999, and became a substantive full-time consultant in March 2002 with interests in Paediatric and Foot and Ankle surgery.

He was the Clinical Director for Trauma, Orthopaedic & Spinal surgery at the Swansea Bay University Health Board for 4 years until August 2022; then continued in management as a Clinical Adviser to the Neath Port Talbot (HVLC) Elective surgical centre development that was completed in 2023. He is currently an Associate Medical Director in the Swansea Bay University Health Board.

Paul admits to being an IT delinquent but nevertheless is attempting to embrace the potential offered by AI.