BHS Revalidation Session

4.30pm – 5.15pm BST, 17 September 2025 ‐ 45 mins

Room: Hall 1 (Main Auditorium)

Specialist Society

Session Title: Bone Health Beyond the Fracture: Quick Wins for the Busy Orthopaedic Surgeon 

Session Description:  

This important session to all at the British Orthopaedic Congress 2025 will delve into the crucial topic of “fracture prevention” through a multidisciplinary lens. As healthcare professionals, we are all familiar with the significant impact that fractures—especially in older adults—have on patient health, quality of life, and healthcare systems. However, preventing fractures requires a holistic approach that extends beyond traditional orthopaedic interventions, and it is with this in mind that today’s session brings together expertise from multiple disciplines to address key aspects of fracture prevention.

We begin with an essential topic in which we will focus on the role of the orthopaedic surgeon in fracture prevention, particularly in the fracture clinic setting. Orthopaedic surgeons play a vital role in identifying patients at risk for fractures and providing guidance on appropriate preventative measures. This talk will cover practical considerations for the orthopaedic surgeon, including how to identify at-risk patients, communicate the importance of prevention, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure a comprehensive approach. Understanding the wider implications of fragility fractures and the available treatment options will equip surgeons with the tools needed to offer effective advice and referral to relevant services.

Next we will discuss “Fracture Liaison Services (FLS)”. These services should be a cornerstone in secondary fracture prevention, identifying high-risk patients following a fragility fracture and providing them with timely intervention to prevent further fractures. In our first talk, we will hear about the journey of setting up an FLS—what works, what challenges arise, and the transformative impact these services can have on patient outcomes. Experts will discuss how FLS integrates with hospital and community care systems, streamlining patient pathways and ensuring that fracture prevention becomes a priority for patients who are often unaware of their risk.

Finally, we will address a challenging yet increasingly relevant topic: Atypical femoral fractures. These fractures, often associated with prolonged bisphosphonate therapy, require a nuanced approach to diagnosis and management. Our speaker will review the pathophysiology, risk factors, and management strategies for atypical femoral fractures, focusing on the balance between fracture prevention and the potential risks of long-term medication use.

This session aims to provide valuable insights into fracture prevention from a variety of perspectives, empowering all healthcare professionals to collaborate effectively in reducing the incidence of fractures and improving patient outcomes. We hope you find the discussions thought-provoking and informative.

Session Agenda: 

16:30 – 16:45: How to Assess for Osteoporosis in Fracture Clinic and on the Ward Round
Dan Thomas, Consultant OrthoGeriatrician, Aintree University Hospital

16:45 – 17:00: The Benefits and Challenges of Setting Up a Fracture Liason Service 
Gabriella Noblet, Consultant OrthoGeriatrician

17:00 – 17:15: How to Treat Atypical Femoral Fractures
James Fountain, Dan Thomas, Gabriella Noblet 

Speakers

Daniel Thomas

Consultant OrthoGeriatrician, Aintree University Hospital

James Fountain

Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Liverpool Hospital

Find out more

Gabriella Noblet

Consultant OrthoGeriatrician

×

James Fountain

Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Royal Liverpool Hospital

Appointed as a Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic surgeon in August 2012 I have developed a complex lower limb trauma, primary and revision lower limb arthroplasty practice. In conjunction with my clinical practice I have established services that are of clinical benefit nationally, regionally and to the wider orthopaedic community. I have developed a regional network for complex and infected arthroplasty and now co-lead the North West revision knee/hip network and run the Cheshire & Mersey major revision centre (MRC) at LUHFT. Working as a trauma surgeon in the Cheshire & Mersey Major Trauma Centre I am managing the most severely injured patients in the region on a regular basis. I have practised privately during this time at both the Sefton Suite and Spire Liverpool Hospitals consulting orthopaedic patients with both elective problems and trauma related injuries. I was Clinical Director of Trauma & Orthopaedics between Nov 2016 and Nov 2020 and led on the merger of Aintree UH and The Royal Liverpool UH NHS Trusts orthopaedic service. This hospital merger and reconfiguration of trauma & orthopaedics across the city has formed one of the biggest orthopaedic departments in the country. I am now Chief of Staff and help run the Care Group. I am chair of the Cheshire & Mersey Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) collaborative and clinical lead of the Cheshire and Mersey Arm of the NW Revision Arthroplasty Network and Major Revision Centre. With a special interest in orthopaedic infection I organise and run the North West PJI meeting annually with over 100 senior clinicians from across the region. I continue to publish widely in peer-reviewed journals on orthopaedics and my chosen subspecialties. Presenting nationally and internationally I am also invited to lecture at hip and knee arthroplasty meetings. Training and selecting the doctors & surgeons of the future is important to me. I interview for Liverpool Medical School, the department and sit on the national interview panel for orthopaedic specialist registrars. I teach regularly on two Royal College of Surgeons courses as well as courses on orthopaedic infection, complex hip/ knee surgery and FRCS revision courses.