BAPO, which stands for the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists, holds an annual conference to give prosthetists and orthotists from across the UK a chance to gather together.
BAPO provides clinicians with training courses, insurance and can cover some learning costs like fees and expenses for the continued training of clinicians. Guidelines for best practices help members stay up to date with high standard industry practices and commit to giving patients a high level of care.
Orthotic clinicians in the UK, like our team, can be registered with the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists. Since orthotists are trusted to provide medical care, having an organisation like BAPO ensures that clinicians are held to strict standards of qualifications and given support to attain the most up-to-date knowledge. Ultimately this is all aimed at giving patients healthcare professionals they can trust.
In March we attended the 2017 Conference. This year’s event was held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The conference lets organisations like ourselves show what we're working on and build relationships with others in the industry. We set up a small stall to show our range of orthotic braces and some samples from our Steprite Footwear range.
What Happens at the BAPO Conference?
The event allows specialists in the field to share research, good practices and improvements they’ve learned within the past year. You can see scheduled talks, informal chats or even viewing evidence-based posters made by clinicians. Anonymous case studies (with patient consent) are shown to other clinicians to detail what processes and designs have been successful in helping patients.
Full-time clinicians, students and recent graduates are all welcome to the BAPO conference. With the close manner of the industry, the conference is also a nice way for people to catch up with previous colleagues and friends not seen in a while.
BAPO also hold events at the conference to engage those who attend. Posters are a simple and popular way of sharing knowledge so this is encouraged by giving the clinician who made the best poster £100 and a bottle of champagne.
Another promotion is a £500 prize and free ticket for the Saturday event for the best paper which gives 15-minute presentations with question and answers help others to understand the research and techniques involved in the paper.
And finally, just for fun, here is a picture of our stall in 2003 with our clinician Peter - who may or may not be posing for the picture.
