Join us on Wednesday 9th to Friday 11th December 2026 at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford for BSCOS Current Concepts 2026.

The BSCOS Current Concepts Course is one of the flagship meetings, distinct from the annual BSCOS conference, and occurs only once every few years. This exclusivity makes it one of the most anticipated events in the paediatric orthopaedic calendar. The meeting is specifically designed to focus on technical innovations, surgical techniques, and cutting-edge developments in paediatric orthopaedics.

This international meeting will bring together over 100 delegates, comprising consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeons, fellows and senior trainees, allied health professionals including specialist nurses and physiotherapists, and members of industry. The programme features distinguished speakers from Argentina, the United States, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom and offers comprehensive learning and insights into the latest technological advances and surgical techniques, and the current concepts in best practice in Paediatric Orthopaedics.

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The meeting has received accreditation from the Royal College of Surgeons and CPD points will be applied for. 

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Meeting Highlights

  • Intensive technical focus on surgical innovations and techniques
  • Interactive surgical demonstrations and workshops
  • Product innovation show cases
  • Expert panel discussions on emerging technologies and best practice
  • Dedicated sessions for new product demonstrations
  • International faculty of renowned surgeons
  • Extended networking opportunities

Convenors

Alpesh Kothari

Alpesh is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals NHSFT…

…His sub-speciality interests include children’s foot and ankle disorders, knee problems including knee-cap instability, developmental hip dysplasia alongside other hip disorders and neuromuscular conditions like cerebral palsy and spina bifida.

His undergraduate training was based at Cambridge University and his clinical studies at the University of Oxford. He completed his post-graduate Orthopaedic training in Oxford. He has a Masters in Orthopaedic engineering and investigated flat-feet in children for his DPhil. He undertook fellowship training at the world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and further travelling fellowships across South America

Alpesh is involved in clinical research, supervision of postgraduate degrees and training orthopaedic residents. He is an associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy and is regularly invited to teach at national and international events.

Max Mifsud

Max is a fully certified Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon in Oxford…

… at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. He has a subspecialist interest and training in Paediatric Orthopaedics, Hip Preservation and Reconstructive Surgery, Bone Infection, and Paediatric Sarcoma.

He successfully completed international fellowship training in Paediatric Orthopaedics and Bone Infection (both in Oxford, at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre), in Sarcoma and Joint Reconstruction (in London, at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital), in Hip Preservation (in Bern, Switzerland) and a clinical research fellowship (in Toronto, at the Hospital for Sick Children).

He is an experienced educator at under- and post-graduate level, and holds a Visiting University Lecturer position. He has a post-graduate research degree and continues to publish in his areas of expertise. Max’s leadership experience includes international elected positions of responsibility. Outside of work, Max enjoys being outdoors and travelling with his wife and their dog.

 

Rachel Buckingham

Mrs Buckingham is a graduate of Bristol medical school. She undertook her…

… orthopaedic training the South West of England followed by a clinical fellowship at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford.

Mrs Buckingham was appointed as a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon in 2007 and has been the lead orthopaedic surgeon for Mercy Ships since 2022.

Chang Park

Mr. Park is a graduate of Imperial College London and undertook his orthopaedic…

Mr. Park is a graduate of Imperial College London and undertook his orthopaedic training in the North West London region. This was followed by clinical fellowships at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

He was appointed as a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic surgeon in 2025.

Andy Wainwright

Mr Wainwright is a graduate of Leicester University Medical School. He undertook his orthopaedic…

…training in the Oxford region and a clinical fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

Mr Wainwright was appointed as a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic surgeon in 2003.

Tim Theologis

Tim is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Oxford University and an honorary…

…Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals. He has been looking after after children with orthopaedic conditions, including developmental dysplasia of the hip, musculoskeletal tumours, neuromuscular disorders and cerebral palsy. He is involved in the supervision of postgraduate degrees and the training of orthopaedic residents. He has an active academic interest, leading multi-centre clinical research studies in children’s orthopaedics and holding NIHR research grants. He is Emeritus Editor in Chief for Gait and Posture. He was a Board member of BSCOS between 2009-2021 and its President between 2018-2020.

Sarah McCartney

Sarah McCartney

Mrs McCartney is a graduate of both Cambridge and Oxford universities…

Mrs McCartney is a graduate of both Cambridge and Oxford universities. She trained in orthopaedics across Wessex, Oxford and West Midlands deaneries and was appointed as a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon in 2026.

Register

  • Days Attendance

    Early bird rates apply

    *Conference Fee: 1 Day Ticket

    *Conference Fee: 2 Day Ticket

    *Conference Fee: 3 Day Ticket

    *Course Dinner

    The course dinner will take place at Oxford's Baliol College and will include a Ceilidh Dance

    *Walking tour through Oxford

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Wednesday 9th December

08:30

Registration & refreshements

Session 1 – Foot & Ankle 1
Moderator: TBC 

08:30 – 10:30

08:30

Introduction and Welcome
Alpesh Kothari

08:45

How should we treat flexible flatfeet and what are my surgical options?

Javier Masquijo, Alpesh Kothari & Dominique Knight

09:15

Tarsal coalitions: The good, the bad and the ugly

Javier Masquijo

09:45

What’s happening in clubfoot across the country

Stuart Kinton & Yael Gelfer

10:00

Timing is everything: Minimally invasive strategies for the relapsed clubfoot

Alison Hulme

10:30

Update on national governance projects

Phil Henman

10:40

Coffee Break

Session 2 – Pain
Moderator: TBC

11:00 – 12:30

11:00

What are the best ways of managing acute and surgical pain in children?

Kim Ng

11:15

How can we identify post surgical chronic pain in children and how can we help?

Konrad Jacobs

11:30

Difficult but important conversations. Addressing excessive weight in children.

Andrew Marshall

11:45

As paediatric orthopaedic surgeons how can we better support neurodiverse children?

Sarah Hadden

12:00

What does bone biochemistry add to paediatric orthopaedic care?

Nishan Guha

12:15

Keynote 1

Andrew Pollard

12:45

Lunch Break

13:30

Walking Tour of Oxford

Session 3 – Parallel Sessions

15:00 – 18:30

Parallel Session – Trauma 1
Moderator: Nick Nicolaou
15:00 – 16:30

15:00

What is my child’s risk of refracture? How do we mitigate this?

Benan Dala-Ali

15:20

Power-up to play. Injury prevention for young people

Nev Davies

15:30

Current concepts in paediatric knee injuries

Nick Nicolaou

16:00

What’s new and cool in diagnostics and implants in paediatric orthopaedics
Pranaii Buddhev

Parallel Session – Knee

15:00 – 16:30

15:00

What do we know about anterior knee pain in adolescents, and what actually helps?

Ralph Smith

15:15

Osteochondritis dissecans in the knee: Watch, drill or fix?

Javier Masquijo

15:45

Beyond Roux-Gouldthwaite: How to evaluate and treat patellofemoral joint instability
Javier Masquijo

16:00

Current concepts in trochlear dysplasia: Trochleoplasty evidence and personal experience
Nick Bottomley

16:15

Epiphysiodesis of the knee; guiding choices

Chang Park

16:30

Coffee Break

Parallel Session – Trauma 2
Moderator: Nick Nicolaou
17:00 – 18:30

17:00

How I deal with growth disturbance

Anish Sangrajka

17:30

The hidden dangers “TRASH” elbow and the miserable missed monteggia

Andrea Chan

18:00

Holding your nerve: Best practice in acute and chronic nerve injury care

Tom Quick

Parallel Session – Foot & Ankle 2

17:00 – 18:30

17:00

It’s not all reverse ponseti and roses. When congenital vertical talus goes wrong

Deborah Eastwood

17:30

What am I dealing with? Investigating complex paediatric foot and ankle deformity
Anna Bridgens

17:45

Foot and ankle surgery in non-CP neuromuscular disorders: When, why and how?
Anna Bridgens

18:00

Idiopathic toe-walking: Problem, preference or pathology

Alpesh Kothari

18:15

What is the right treatment for osteochondritis dissecans of the Talus?

Rick Brown

18:30

Close of Day

18:35

Drinks Reception

Thursday 10th December

08:00

Refreshments

Session 4 – Hip Preservation
Moderator: Max Mifsud 

08:30 – 10:30

08:30

Periacetabular osteotomy: Tips, tricks and long-term outcomes

Simon Steppacher

08:50

Open treatment for FAI: Beyond the reach of the scope
Simon Steppacher

09:20

When do I need hip preservation?
Jimmy Barnes

09:40

Hip dysplasia – case discussions

Tim Theologis & Max Mifsud

10:30

Coffee Break

Session 5 – Research In Hips
Moderator: Tim Theologis 

08:30 – 10:30

11:00

Implementation of research findings

Andy Carr

11:30

Statistics for paediatric orthopaedic surgeons

Sally Hopewell

11:40

Health economics in research

Dan Perry

12:00

Hip research update – Standards and recent advances in imaging for hip preservation surgery

Simon Steppacher

12:30

Lunch Break

13:30

Keynote lecture: Building Hospitals in Africa

Chris Lavy

Session 6 – Breakout Sessions

Moderator: Tim Theologis

14:00 – 15:30

Parallel Session – Tumor & Arthroplasty

14:00

Current trends in arthroplasty in children and adolescents

Antony Palmer 

14:30

What’s new in immunotherapy and genetics

Shaun Wilson

14:50

What to do with pathological fractures

Tim Theologis

15:10

Call a friend – cystic bone lesions and the role of interventional radiology

Karen Partington

Parallel Session – Alignement & Biomechanics

14:00

Radiological bone age assessment

Yaron Berkowitz

14:20

Pointing in or out? Radiological assessment of lower limb rotational profile

Yaron Berkowitz

14:40

Gait biomechanics and rotational / coronal profile

Julie Stebbins

15:10

Managing rotational profile deviations

Deborah Eastwood

 

15:30

Coffee Break

Session 7 – Medicolegal
Moderator: Tim Theologis
16:00 – 17:30

16:00

Pitfalls in medicolegal practice

Cyrus Katrak

17:30

Close of Day

19:00

Course Dinner 
Baliol College, Oxford

Friday 11th December

08:30

Refreshments

Session 8 – Breakout Sessions

Moderators: Rachel Buckingham & Sarah McCartney

09:00 – 12:00

Parallel Session – Cerebral Palsy & Neurological 1

09:00 – 10:30

09:00

Hyperselective neurectomy upper and lower limb

Sara Dorman

09:20

Guided growth in CP

Alex Aarvold

09:40

Treating feet in CP

Alpesh Kothari

Parallel Session – Inherited Bone Conditions

09:00 – 10:30

09:00

Current advances in genetics

Debbie Shears

09:20

Radiological advances in skeletal dysplasia 

Ali Calder

09:40

Treating children with skeletal dysplasia

Andy Wainwright

10:00

Coffee Break

Parallel Session – Cerebral Palsy & Neurological 2
10:30 – 12:20

10:30

Selective dorsal rhisotomy in non ambulant children

Kristian Aquilina

10:50

High 5s all around! Maximising outcomes in the upper limb in cerebral palsy

Jennifer McCahill

11:10

Surgery in children in HSP

Rob Middleton, Rob freeman, Caroline Edwards, Rohit Gangadharan & Alf Bass

11:30

Whats new in gait analysis

Julie Stebbins

11:50

Discussion

Parallel Session – Limb Reconstruction

10:30 – 12:20

10:30

Intramedullary lengthening devices
Peter Calder

10:50

Whats new in limb lengthening
Nick Green

11:10

Reconstructive shortening in childhood

Andy Wainwright

11:30

How I manage pseudarthosis of the tibia

Andy Mcbride

11:50

Discussion

Session 9 – The Future is now

Moderators: Rachel Buckingham & Andy Wainwright

12:00 – 12:50

12:00

Harnessing AI in orthopaedics: lessons learnt and future opportunities

Manoj Ramachandran

12:20

Guest lecture: Robots and AI in our shared future
Robert Buckingham

12:50

Lunch

Session 10 – Whats new in the world; through the microscope and the binoculars

Moderators: Rachel Buckingham & Andy Wainwright

13:30 – 16:00

13:30

Costing the earth – sustainable paediatric orthopaedics 

Stuart Kinton

13:50

What’s new about antibiotic treatment in orthopaedic infection?

Stephane Paulus

14:10

What’s new in orthopaedic research in infection and diagnostic pathways?

Tim Theologis 

14:30

Current concepts about managing patients after infection

Max Mifsud

14:50

What in the world is happening now… and how can I get involved?

Guy Atherton, Rachel Buckingham & Matthew Barry

15:45

Wrap up session, prizes & next meetings

Oxford Team

16:00

End of course

Speakers

Andy Wainwright

Mr Wainwright is a graduate of Leicester University Medical School. He undertook his orthopaedic…

…training in the Oxford region and a clinical fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

Mr Wainwright was appointed as a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic surgeon in 2003.

Alex Aarvold

Professor Aarvold graduated from medical school at the University of Edinburgh…

..in 2002. After house jobs in Edinburgh, including at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC), he worked in Sydney (Australia) as resident medical officer, Nairobi (Kenya) doing paediatric HIV medicine, Oxford as anatomy demonstrator and St George’s Hospital and Royal Marsden Hospital (London) for basic surgical training. He moved to Wessex in 2007 for higher surgical training in trauma and orthopaedic surgery, which included two years of researching stem cell therapy in Professor Richard Oreffo’s tissue engineering lab. He did a fellowship in paediatric orthopaedic surgery at British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada in 2014-15 and was appointed to Southampton Children’s Hospital as consultant surgeon in November 2015. He was awarded a personal Chair in orthopaedic surgery at University of Southampton in August 2024.

Professor Aarvold has sub-speciality expertise in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), Perthes Disease, paediatric trauma, cerebral palsy and neuromuscular disorders.

He holds weekly clinics dedicated to DDH, continuing Professor Nick Clarke’s legacy, with all children offered the chance to be part of the Global Hip Dysplasia Registry (GHDR). Together with Ms Kirsten Elliott and Mr Ed Lindisfarne he manages the Pavlik harness programme for infants with DDH, plus operations for those that come to surgical treatment. He leads the tertiary referral network for Perthes disease.

Professor Aarvold runs specialist paediatric neuromuscular clinics with consultant colleagues (Mr Simon Bennet, Mr Darius Rad, Mr Munzir Gaboura, Mr Rohit Gangadharan) alongside the specialist multi-disciplinary therapy team. He is a member of the British Society for Surgery in Cerebral Palsy (BSSCP) and treats children with the condition using botox injections, soft tissue releases and bone operations.

He also does visiting clinics at Rosewood School, for pupils with profound learning difficulties and physical/medical needs. He runs specialist paediatric orthopaedic clinics in Guernsey, alongside Mr Richard Hopcroft. He visits Eswatini in southern Africa on a yearly basis to provide specialist paediatric orthopaedic support, where negligible exists in the country at present.

Professor Aarvold has been awarded travelling fellowships to specialist centres in Italy, Australia, Canada and USA, plus given invited lectures in the Middle East, India and North America.

Kristian Aquilina

Mr Kristian Aquilina FRCS(SN) MD, is a Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon at Great Ormond…

…Street Hospital (GOSH).
Mr Aquilina is surgical lead for neuro-oncology at Great Ormond Street Hospital since 2012, and an honorary senior lecturer at the UCL Institute of Child Health.
Mr Aquilina graduated from the University of Malta in 1995. He completed his neurosurgical training in Bristol in 2009. This included research on intraventricular haemorrhage and hydrocephalus in premature babies, for which he was awarded an MD (Doctor of Medicine) from the University of Bristol. He completed a one-year clinical fellowship in paediatric neurosurgery, and particularly in paediatric neuro-oncology, at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

He was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon in Bristol in 2010. In June 2012 he was appointed Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon at GOSH. He also has a sub-specialty interest in the management of spasticity and set up the selective dorsal rhizotomy service for cerebral palsy in Bristol, and subsequently, in collaboration with the Wolfson tertiary neurodisability service, at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Guy Atherton

Guy underwent medical training at Clare College, Cambridge & St Bartholomew’s…

…Hospital London. He underwent Surgical then Trauma & Orthopaedic training in Nottingham, Derby & Leicester before spending a year on Fellowship in Children’s Orthopaedics at the Starship Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. He was appointed as Consultant at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children in January 2004. HIs main clinical interests are in the orthopaedic management of children with neuromuscular disorders and paediatric foot and ankle surgery (in particular CTEV)
Guy is an Examiner and Examiner’s Assessor for the JCIE FRCS (Orth) and the External Examiner for FCS Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery for the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA).

He is current President of BSCOS.

James Barnes

James Barnes

James Barnes is a Paediatric Orthopaedic and young adult surgeon who loves the hip bone…

James Barnes is a Paediatric Orthopaedic and young adult surgeon who loves the hip bone more than all the other bones.

Professionally, his specialist interests are hip preservation and SUFE. He runs an adolescent osteotomy service in Bristol and is regional lead for SUFE management in the southwest.

Outside of work he lives in the countryside, interacts with as few people as possible, enjoys long runs, awkward silences and spending time with his friend.

Alf Bass

Biography to appear here shortly. Please check back at a later date for further details…

Yaron Berkowtiz

Dr Yaron Berkowitz is a Consultant Musculoskeletal Radiologist at Oxford University Hospitals…

…NHS Trust, including the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, and a partner of Oxford Musculoskeletal Radiology (OMR). He graduated medicine from the University of Cambridge, and after obtaining his surgical qualification (MRCS) he undertook general and subspecialty MSK radiology training at Imperial College, London. He completed two MSK Fellowships at the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, UK, and at the University of British Columbia (St Paul’s Hospital), Vancouver, prior to his consultant appointment in Oxford.

Dr Berkowitz has expertise in imaging led diagnosis and treatment of the full spectrum of conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system, with particular interest in spine conditions and back pain, sports injuries, bone and joint infections, major trauma, nerve entrapments and pain syndromes, bone & soft tissue sarcoma and bone metastatic disease, arthritis and rheumatological conditions. He regularly performs complex image guided interventions such as bone biopsy, tumour ablation and vertebroplasty, nerve ablation, and more routine ultrasound guided tendon, bursal and joint injections.
He is the lead radiologist for the Oxford regional spine, bone infection and shoulder multidisciplinary meetings, and the Oxford Metastatic Intervention and Treatment special interest group (OxMINT).

Dr Berkowitz is involved in ongoing clinical research as a member of the Experimental Medicine Division of Oxford University. He regularly publishes in peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and is an expert reviewer for the seminal British and International MSK radiology journals. He was deputy editor for the national iRefer guidelines published by the Royal College of Radiology.
Dr Berkowitz is a passionate teacher and is the RCR Clinical Tutor and MSK Fellowship lead for Oxford, as well as supervising medical students from Oxford University Medical School. He is a regularly invited speaker at British, European and international subspecialty conferences and serves on the OCAD committee, an international community and network of MSK radiology educators.

Nick Bottomley

Nicholas is a specialist orthopaedic knee surgeon and his practice encompasses…

… all aspects of paediatric and adult knee surgery. He has a particular interest in:

The management of sports injuries; including ACL reconstructions, multi-ligament reconstruction and meniscal repair surgery. Knee pain and arthritis; with a particular expertise in the management of early arthritis. Knee replacement surgery; specialising in both partial and total knee replacements. Patellofemoral (kneecap) instability

Nicholas works at the world renowned Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford, part of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and at the Manor Hospital, Oxford. He graduated from Imperial College Medical School in 2001. He has a first class honours degree in Orthopaedics from University College London and a DPhil (PhD) from the University of Oxford for his research work investigating the progression of early knee arthritis.

Nicholas furthered his specialist knowledge of sports injuries in Brisbane, Australia working with a surgical team looking after professional rugby union and rugby league teams.

Nicholas remains active in surgical research and is involved in the running of several national studies. He teaches and lectures internationally, especially in the field of partial knee replacement.

 

Anna Bridgens

Miss Anna Bridgens is a highly experienced Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon. Her…

…private practice is based at The Portland Hospital, Nuffield Health Parkside Hospital, and New Victoria Hospital. She holds an NHS post at St George’s Hospital in South West London, a designated Level 1 major trauma centre.

Miss Bridgens has particular expertise in paediatric trauma, congenital and acquired deformities of the hip, limb and foo (including developmental dysplasia of the hip and clubfoot) the orthopaedic care of children with neurodisabilities such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida, and bone infections.

Miss Bridgens is committed to providing high-quality, personalised care, with a focus on developing individualised treatment plans that address the specific needs of each child and their family.

After graduating from Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine in 2003, she completed Higher Surgical Training in Trauma & Orthopaedics on the Percival Pott Rotation, based at the Royal London Hospital. She went on to complete dedicated Paediatric Orthopaedic Fellowships at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Evelina London Children’s Hospital.

At St George’s Hospital, Miss Bridgens leads the orthopaedic management of children with neurodisabilities, alongside her work treating general paediatric orthopaedic conditions and trauma. She has a particular interest in hip dysplasia, clubfoot, and complex foot deformities.

Rick Brown

Rick Brown is the Clinical Lead of the Foot & Ankle Unit at The Nuffield Orthopaedic..

…Centre, Oxford. His practice covers all areas of Foot & Ankle surgery including sports injuries, neurological conditions, complex forefoot pathology, arthritis including arthroplasty and deformity correction as well as the teenage and young adult ankle.

He graduated from the University of Cambridge and King’s College Hospital, London, before completing orthopaedic training on the Middlesex & Stanmore Rotation, London and then Fellowships in Sydney and at Harvard, USA. After appointment as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in 2004, he established the new Foot and Ankle Service in Cheltenham and ran a Regional Paediatric Foot Clinic at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

He is passionate about Foot & Ankle education having served for nearly ten years BOFAS Education Committee, including as Chairman. He has been an Examiner for the FRCS (Tr &Orth) for ten years and for COSECSA. He is now an Assessor of the Examiners. He is a Honorary Senior Clinical lecturer for the University of Oxford, where he runs the Foot & Ankle Fellowship programme. He has written numerous academic papers and several book chapters as well as lecturing across the UK and the world.

Rachel Buckingham

Mrs Buckingham is a graduate of Bristol medical school. She undertook her…

… orthopaedic training the South West of England followed by a clinical fellowship at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford.

Mrs Buckingham was appointed as a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon in 2007 and has been the lead orthopaedic surgeon for Mercy Ships since 2022.

Robert Buckingham

Rob is “Special Advisor to CEO for Robotics” at the UK Atomic Energy Authority…

Rob is “Special Advisor to CEO for Robotics” at the UK Atomic Energy Authority. Previously, as Executive
Director, he was responsible for building RACE, the UKAEA’s centre for Remote Applications in
Challenging Environments and RAICo, the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration with the
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the Atomic Weapons Establishment and the University of
Manchester. Rob was also Senior Responsible Owner for the JET Decommissioning and Repurposing
Programme and remains fully engaged with decommissioning Fukushima Daiichi in Japan. As a founder
member of the UK Robotics Growth Partnership, Rob was lead author of the UK’s Robotics and
Autonomous Systems 2020 Strategy and the Smart Machines 2030 Strategy. Before re-joining the UKAEA
in 2014, Rob co-founded and was Managing Director of OC Robotics which developed and
commercialised snake-arm® robots. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of
the Institute of Engineering and Technology. He received an OBE for services to robotics engineering in
the 2021 New Year Honours

Pranai Buddhdev

Mr Pranai Buddhdev is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic with expertise in hip and knee…

…disorders in children in addition to neuromuscular and rare conditions. Graduating from Royal Free & University College Medical School in 2008, he maximised his exposure to children’s orthopaedic surgery throughout his career as a South East London surgical trainee including time at King’s College & Evelina London Children’s Hospitals in order to gain experience in the multiple sub-specialties including neuromuscular, trauma, foot & ankle, sports knee and hip preservation surgery.
Pranai completed the Paediatric Orthopaedic & Young Adult Hip fellowship at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore and an international Paediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship at the world-renowned Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. He was awarded the International Hip Preservation Society Travelling Fellowship in 2019, allowing him to fine-tune his specialist hip preservation and arthroscopy skills at key institutions including Inselpital in Bern, Switzerland, The Steadman Sports Clinic in Vail and Boston Children’s Hospital (Harvard).
Mr Buddhdev has been a substantive consultant at Mid & South Essex NHS Trust since 2020 with an honorary contract at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. He has a BSc in Orthopaedic Sciences (UCL), an MSc in Orthopaedic Engineering and was most recently awarded a distinction in an Executive Masters in Medical Leadership conducted at Bayes Business School, City University, London.
He has spearheaded multiple clinical improvement projects, demonstrating his commitment to improving patient safety, efficiency, and satisfaction through the use of the most advanced and up to date methods in treatment. He has popularised the use of guided growth of the hip in patients with neuromuscular diseases and the application of walking hip spica casts for femur (thigh bone) fractures in the UK, substantially decreasing hospital stay length and caregiver burden and was recognised as a ‘best-practice’ case study in the National Paediatric Orthopaedic Get It Right First Time (GIRFT) report.
Mr Buddhdev plays a strong role in education & research, sitting on the Education Committee of the British Society of Children’s Orthopaedic Surgeons, as podcast host of #ThePaedipodsCast & producer of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Digest, and as faculty on numerous regional, national and international surgical courses for orthopaedic trainees and surgeons.
He has been awarded numerous academic and scientific prizes by societies including BOTA, ISHA, BSCOS, ESMAC & Skeletal Dysplasia Group UK for his contributions to scientific research through notable publications. He is currently head of research of his department, and is involved in international collaborative research projects to help improve the understanding of paediatric orthopaedic conditions and outcomes for his patients.

Alistair Calder

Dr Calder has been a consultant radiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital since 2006,…

Dr Calder has been a consultant radiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital since 2006, and specialty lead for body radiology since 2019. His subspecialist interests include cardiothoracic CT imaging and the radiology of inherited and metabolic bone disorders. He is faculty member on multiple international skeletal dysplasia instructional courses and a member of the Nosology Committee of the International Skeletal Dysplasia Society.

Andrea Chan

Dr. Chan graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 2012. Prior to…

…her medical school training, she completed her Masters of Arts in 2008 at McMaster University in the field of forensic anthropology. Following medical school, she completed her residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Toronto in 2017. Dr. Chan then completed a 1-year fellowship in adult hand and upper extremity in London Ontario at the Roth|McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre (HULC) where her clinical work focused on shoulder, elbow, wrist & hand trauma, arthroplasty, arthroscopy as well as peripheral nerve injury. Her research in London focused on the biomechanical analysis of wrist reconstruction techniques for carpal instability. She then pursued a second 6-month fellowship in pediatric hand and upper extremity at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Dr. Chan joined the Hand Program at Toronto Western Hospital (University Health Network) in 2019.

Benan Dala-Ali

Benan is a Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery with a specialist interest in…

Benan is a Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery with a specialist interest in paediatric surgery. He deals with all aspects of paediatric surgery from minor sports injuries to complex neuromuscular conditions.

Benan underwent his undergraduate and postgraduate medical training in London. He completed his higher surgical training in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery on the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Rotation in London. He completed two internationally recognised fellowships. He has worked on fellowship in the paediatric units of the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

Alongside his surgical training he completed a MSc in Musculoskeletal Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Education at University College London. He is a Fellow of both the Royal College of Surgeons and the Higher Education Academy. In addition to his clinical practice Benan continues to be involved in research and teaching. He has published in international peer reviewed scientific journals and regularly presented at national and international paediatric, orthopaedic and sports conferences. Benan formally teaches, mentors and invigilates medical students and surgeons in London and Oxford.

Sara Dorman

Ms Dorman is the departmental lead for education. She maintains an additional interest…

…humanitarian work and international training in South East Asia.

She is an invited member for the BSSH global advisory committee and maintains research interests in upper limb, cerebral palsy and metabolic bone disease. Clinical interests include: paediatric upper limb including trauma, limb reconstruction and hand conditions, upper limb in cerebral palsy, peripheral nerve and highly selective neurectomies, general paediatric neuromuscular conditions including lower limb & gait analysis

Deborah Eastwood

Professor Deborah Eastwood is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon with dual…

…appointments at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. She also serves as an Associate Professor at University College London. She was President of the British Orthopaedic Association (2022–2023) and previously served as President of the European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society, reflecting her outstanding leadership at both national and international levels. Her research interests include developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and neuromuscular disorders, and she is a strong advocate for early screening and patient-centred care. Professor Eastwood has developed extensive international collaborations through clinical fellowships, visiting professorships, and global educational initiatives in paediatric orthopaedics. In her ‘spare’ time, she enjoys watching sport – more than participating these days – and making the most of life in London.

Caroline Edwards

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Rob Freeman

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Rohit Gangadharan

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Yael Gelfer

Yael Gelfer is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at St George’s Hospital, London, and Associate…

…Professor at City St George’s, University of London. Her clinical interests include clubfoot, neurodisability, DDH and foot deformities. She has a strong interest in clinical research and collaborative research methodology, particularly consensus development, core outcome sets and priority-setting in paediatric orthopaedics. She leads the UK National Clubfoot Network research team and is the BSCOS Consensus Lead. Yael is a member of the EPOS Education Committee and is actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate education, surgical training and mentorship. She is also an Editorial Board member of The Bone & Joint Journal. Her work focuses on improving evidence-based, patient-centred care through national and international collaboration.

Nishan Guha

I am a Consultant in Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Medicine at the John Radcliffe Hospital,…

…Oxford. I was previously Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Biochemistry during my registrar training and now have an honorary senior clinical lecturer post. I am responsible for organising Clinical Biochemistry teaching to fourth year clinical medicine students during their Laboratory Medicine course. I am also responsible for supervising fourth and sixth year medical students during the Chemical Pathology special study module.

My research group is a collaboration between the University of Southampton, Kings College London and University of Oxford and we are investigating the effects of hormones such as Growth Hormone, on athletic performance and developing methods to detect hormone misuse in elite athletes.

Sarah Hadden

Biography to appear here please check back at a later date for further details

Phil Henman

Mr Phil Henman is an orthopaedic trauma surgeon at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary…

…Phil has worked for the Trust for 21 years, after completing his specialist training in Scotland with fellowship training in children’s orthopaedics and children’s trauma in France, Australia and London.

Sally Hopewell

Sally Hopewell

Prof Sally Hopewell is Professor of Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis based at…

Prof Sally Hopewell is Professor of Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis based at the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (OCTRU) and Centre for Statistics in Medicine at the University of Oxford. She is involved in leading the design and delivery of clinical trials within the OCTRU portfolio.

Her key areas of research expertise are in the design, conduct and transparent reporting of randomised trials and systematic reviews. She has published extensively in these areas and has been instrumental in leading the development of key reporting guidelines including the CONSORT 2025 and SPIRIT 2025 Statements.

She is chief investigator on a number of NIHR-funded trials in the areas of paediatric and adult rehabilitation and musculoskeletal sciences, including the SPELL and ROBUST trials in children with cerebral palsy.

Alison Hulme

I am a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon. I have an extensive paediatric practice with a…

…particular interest in foot and ankle disorders in children. This includes children with painful feet and foot deformities including flat feet. I also treat children and adolescents with hip and knee problems, lower limb deformities, and general paediatric trauma.

Amongst specialists in London I was an early convert to Ponseti treatment for children with club foot and have developed extensive experience in the management of more complex children’s foot disorders.

Konrad Jacobs

Dr Konrad Jacobs is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who works in the Department of…

…Paediatric Psychology at the John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford

Cyrus Katrak

Cyrus Katrak is a specialist personal injury and clinical negligence practitioner…

… and is recommended in both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500.

He has acted for both Claimants and Defendants in high profile cases including the British Coal Respiratory Disease Litigation and the Paddington Rail Disaster. His particular expertise is in high value brain injuries, clinical negligence and fatal accident cases. He also represents medical professionals in regulatory health care proceedings, has prosecuted in the General Medical Council and sits as a legal assessor at the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Cyrus also acts on behalf of injured clients before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

First and foremost Cyrus aims to put litigants at ease in what are often the most stressful of circumstances and is careful to ensure that conferences are tailored to fit the client’s particular needs. He considers that client care is fundamental but nonetheless will always give clear, direct and robust advice. Cyrus lives in Twickenham and can accept instructions at short notice either by DX or email. He is married to a Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon who practices at The Royal Surrey County Hospital. One day he intends to retire to New Orleans to play the blues piano in a bar.

Stuart Kinton

Biography to appear here please check back at a later date for further details

Dominique Knight

Miss Knight completed her Surgical training in London and Edinburgh. The Royal Hospital…

Miss Knight completed her Surgical training in London and Edinburgh. The Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh is where she built on her passion for paediatric orthopaedics.

Miss Knight has undertaken 18 months on paediatric orthopaedic fellowships n Toronto and Oxford. She learned the surgical management for numerous foot conditions including club feet (including the Ponseti technique), tarsal coalitions, the planovalgus (severe flat foot), skew and cavus (high arch) foot. Miss Knight also gained surgical experience of the dislocated hip including reconstruction and reduction.

Miss Knight has been a Consultant in paediatric orthopaedics at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children since July 2014.

In March 2014 she was appointed as an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer within the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

Michail Kokkinakis

Michail has been a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital…

…since 2015.

He is the head of adolescent hip preservation surgery while he has an additional subspecialty clinical and academic interest in the modern management of orthopaedic problems in children with spinal muscular atrophy and cerebral palsy including treatment of complex paediatric feet pathologies.

In 2026, he was appointed adjunct clinical reader (associate professor) in paediatric orthopaedic surgery at King’s College London.

He is leading clinical innovation research projects in the NHS including cutting edge technologies such as 3D printing, virtual and augmented reality as well as surgical advances in paediatric orthopaedics.

He is an ordinary member of the British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery (BSCOS), the British Society for Surgery in Cerebral Palsy (BSSCP) and the European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society (EPOS).

He is Chair of the Cerebral Palsy Integrated Pathway for South East of England (CPIPSE), executive member of the European neuromuscular study group (EPOS) and co-Chair of UK’s national working group for hip displacement in Children with SMA (SMA CARE UK).

He was also been appointed Chair of expert committees to produce national orthopaedic guidelines for children in the UK, e.g. management of “The Paediatric Flatfoot” and “Hip Displacement in Spinal Muscular Atrophy” (on behalf of BSCOS and BSSCP).

He has been involved in UK’s Government consultation for various national healthcare matters (i.e. transition in patients with cerebral palsy, orthopaedic management of children with spinal muscular atrophy).

In 2025, he received the highest level of National Clinical Impact Awards (N3-NCIA) from the Department of Health and Social Care for his sustained long-term commitment and dedication to the NHS.

Alpesh Kothari

Alpesh is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals NHSFT…

…His sub-speciality interests include children’s foot and ankle disorders, knee problems including knee-cap instability, developmental hip dysplasia alongside other hip disorders and neuromuscular conditions like cerebral palsy and spina bifida.

His undergraduate training was based at Cambridge University and his clinical studies at the University of Oxford. He completed his post-graduate Orthopaedic training in Oxford. He has a Masters in Orthopaedic engineering and investigated flat-feet in children for his DPhil. He undertook fellowship training at the world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and further travelling fellowships across South America

Alpesh is involved in clinical research, supervision of postgraduate degrees and training orthopaedic residents. He is an associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy and is regularly invited to teach at national and international events.

Chris Lavvy

Chris Lavy qualified at St Bartholomew’s Medical College in 1982 after a BSc in Anthropology…

…at University College London. He trained in orthopaedic surgery on the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital rotation and in 1992 became a Consultant in orthopaedic and hand surgery at The Middlesex Hospital and University College Hospital in London. In 1996 he left to work with the Christian medical charity CBM International and was appointed to an Honorary Professorship at the University of Malawi College of Medicine.

In 2006 he returned to the UK, where he is Professor of Orthopaedic and Tropical Surgery and Consultant Orthopaedic and Spine Surgeon at the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) and a Fellow of Green Templeton College at the University of Oxford. His clinical interests include surgery of the spine, hip and knee, and his research interests focus on surgery in Africa and the Tropics. He is an elected Council member and trustee of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, and established the RCS Global Surgical Frontiers conference. He is an honorary fellow of the British Orthopaedic Association and of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He is a trustee of CURE International UK, which supports children’s reconstructive surgery in resource-poor countries. He has held an honorary chair at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

During Professor Lavy’s time in Malawi, he helped to set up two orthopaedic teaching hospital and research centres, The Beit CURE International Hospital (2002) in Blantyre and Beit CURE Zambia Hospital (2005) in Lusaka. He helped set up national orthopaedic surgical and clinical officer training programmes in Malawi, and an international clubfoot treatment programme which now spans over 15 countries. He co-founded the regional College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) in 1999, set up the college’s orthopaedic fellowship examination and served for many years on the council. Professor Lavy was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List 2007 for services to orthopaedics.

Since moving to Oxford, he has helped set up the Oxford MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences, and the international Global Clubfoot Initiative, which works to increase collaboration between organisations delivering clubfoot treatment . He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students at Oxford, and has taught on courses such as the popular BMJ Masterclasses series and the LSHTM Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and books, and contributed to Lord Crisp’s report in 2007 on Global Health Partnerships and reports by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health.

He has recently been a Commissioner for The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, and Co-Director with Professor Hemant Pandit of COSECSA Oxford Orthopaedic Link (COOL), a multi-country programme in trauma and orthopaedics training, research and capacity building in East, Central and Southern Africa. Prof Lavy has led the Africa Clubfoot Training (ACT) project which focuses on strengthening and expanding clubfoot training in sub-Saharan Africa. (Both the COOL programme and ACT project have been funded through the Health Partnership Scheme, which is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and managed by the Tropical Health Education Trust (THET).)

Recently, he was Principal Investigator for SURG-Africa (an EU-funded collaboration working towards scaling safe surgery for district and rural populations in Africa) and he led the set up of CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe, a new orthopaedic teaching hospital in Bulawayo. He co-leads the multi-disciplinary Oxford University Global Surgery Group and is a director on the accredited Oxford Global Surgery Course. He is a member of the World Health Organization Technical Advisory Group on Integrated Clinical Care.

Andrew Marshall

Andy is a general paediatrician who leads the Oxford NHSE Complications from…

Andy is a general paediatrician who leads the Oxford NHSE Complications from Excess Weight (CEW) clinic, managing children with complications related to obesity, including patients with underlying orthopaedic conditions and musculoskeletal problems secondary to a raised BMI.

Javier Masquijo

Javier Masquijo, MD practices at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, United…

…States. He completed his medical training at Universidad de Córdoba, followed by an Orthopedic Residency at Sanatorio Allende. He pursued Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowships at Hospital Garrahan in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Canada. In 2012, Dr. Masquijo was one of three POSNA-SLAOTI Traveling Fellows for the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. His training also includes observerships at prominent institutions such as Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children (Orlando), Texas Scottish Rite Hospital (Dallas), Shriners Hospitals for Children (St. Louis), Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr. Masquijo is an active member of numerous national and international orthopedic societies, including the Asociación Argentina de Ortopedia y Traumatología (AAOT), Sociedad Argentina de Ortopedia y Traumatología Infantil (SAOTI), AO Latin America, and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Ortopedia y Traumatología Infantil (SLAOTI). He is a past president of SAOTI and currently serves on the board of SLAOTI. Recently, became a member of the prestigious International Pediatric Orthopedic Think Tank (IPOTT).

Andrew McBride

Andrew’s undergraduate training was at Guy’s & St Thomas’s Hospitals in London. His basic…

…surgical training was at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and his higher surgical training in the Severn Deanery, cumulating in the award of his CCT in 2011.

He has undertaken fellowship training in limb reconstruction and complex trauma management in Bristol and Paediatric Orthopaedics at the Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand.

Andrew was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Bristol in 2012 for his thesis on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

Since 2003 he has provided medical support to the Rugby Football Union as one of the team doctors with the England under 16 rugby squad.

Jennifer McCahill

Dr Jennifer McCahill is an internationally experienced paediatric physiotherapist…

…clinical researcher, and educator with over two decades of expertise in complex neuro-orthopaedic care, gait analysis, and child development. She completed her PhD from VU University Amsterdam in Improving the Clinical Meaningfulness of the Oxford Foot Model to Assess Foot Deformity during Gait, working in collaboration with Oxford University, while working as a clinician in the Oxford Gait Laboratory for 15 years. Jennifer is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and currently serves as a Lecture

Rob Middleton

Biography to appear here shortly. Please check back at a later date for further details…

Max Mifsud

Max is a fully certified Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon in Oxford…

… at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. He has a subspecialist interest and training in Paediatric Orthopaedics, Hip Preservation and Reconstructive Surgery, Bone Infection, and Paediatric Sarcoma.

He successfully completed international fellowship training in Paediatric Orthopaedics and Bone Infection (both in Oxford, at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre), in Sarcoma and Joint Reconstruction (in London, at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital), in Hip Preservation (in Bern, Switzerland) and a clinical research fellowship (in Toronto, at the Hospital for Sick Children).

He is an experienced educator at under- and post-graduate level, and holds a Visiting University Lecturer position. He has a post-graduate research degree and continues to publish in his areas of expertise. Max’s leadership experience includes international elected positions of responsibility. Outside of work, Max enjoys being outdoors and travelling with his wife and their dog.

 

Ryan Moffat

Ryan is a final year ST8 Specialist Trainee in Trauma and Orthopaedics based…

Ryan is a final year ST8 Specialist Trainee in Trauma and Orthopaedics based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ryan completed his undergraduate training in Trinity College, Dublin before undertaking surgical training within Northern Ireland. He has a special interest in post graduate education, undertaking an intraining fellowship in simulation based education, as well as an interest in surgery within low and middle income countries and continues an active role with Mercy Ships in Paediatric Orthopaedic field services. Soon to undertake Fellowships in Toronto Hospital for Sick Children and Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital, Ryan hopes to continue to develop his experience in neuromuscular and limb reconstruction within Paediatrics.

Kim Ng

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Nick Nicolaou

Nick is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon who practices at Sheffield Children’s…

…Hospital. He trained on the South-East Thames Orthopaedic Circuit and completed Fellowship training at Sheffield Children’s, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital as well as completing a travelling fellowship at Inselspital, Berne in Switzerland prior to becoming a Consultant in 2011.

His clinical interest is the paediatric knee. He is chair of the European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society (EPOS) Sports Study group, a board member at large for the British Society for Children’s Orthopaedics (BSCOS) and the British Patellofemoral Society (BPFS) and Honorary Secretary for the British Orthopaedic Sports Trauma and Arthroscopy Association (BOSTAA).

He is the chair of the current BASK/BSCOS steering committee on paediatric patella instability and also chair for the previous soft tissue knee pathology in children national guidance document.
He is the co-convener of the International Kid’s Knee Conference which has run biannually since 2019 in Sheffield.

Marie-Caroline Nogaro

Marie-Caroline is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon…

Marie-Caroline is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon. She studied at the University of Pennsylvania, before reading Medicine at Imperial College London, where she also completed an intercalated Bachelor of Science in Surgery and Anaesthesia. After completing her basic surgical training in the East of England Deanery, she undertook her specialist Trauma and Orthopaedic training on the Oxford programme, and is dual fellowship trained. She completed a first fellowship in adult knee surgery in the UK, followed by a Paediatric Orthopaedic fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in 2021. Her clinical work is at Milton Keynes University Hospital and she holds an Honorary Contract with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

She has a long track record of service improvement projects with a particular focus on patient safety, standardisation of care, and excellence of care. Alongside her clinical work, she has published papers in the fields of knee surgery and paediatric orthopaedics.

She joined the Surgical Intervention Trials Unit (SITU – NDORMS) in May 2023 as a Senior Clinical Research Fellow and has collaborated on several multicentre paediatric orthopaedic studies including the PIC Bone Study and CPinBOSS. She is the Chief Investigator for the PREPARE KIDS study, an NIHR-funded multi-centre RCT looking into the clinical and cost effectiveness of prehabilitation in children’s elective lower limb surgery.

Antony Palmer

Antony Palmer

Antony Palmer is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Oxford…

Antony Palmer is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences at the University of Oxford. Clinically, he is a Consultant Hip Surgeon at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, specialising in primary and revision hip arthroplasty. During his DPhil (PhD) he studied the effect of activity on adolescent hip development, and the future risk of injury and osteoarthritis. His current research themes include the design and implementation of strategies to improve the outcomes of arthroplasty surgery, and the prevention and treatment of prosthetic joint infection.

Chang Park

Mr. Park is a graduate of Imperial College London and undertook his orthopaedic…

Mr. Park is a graduate of Imperial College London and undertook his orthopaedic training in the North West London region. This was followed by clinical fellowships at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

He was appointed as a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic surgeon in 2025.

Karen Partington

Biography to appear here please check back at a later date for further details

Stephane Paulus

Stéphane is a consultant in paediatric infectious diseases at Oxford University Hospitals…

…and an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Oxford. After medical training in Belgium, he trained in paediatrics in the US and in the UK. Stéphane was a fellow in paediatric infectious diseases in Vancouver, Canada from 2005 to 2008 and a consultant at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, UK from 2010 to 2018. He joined the team in Oxford in 2018 and now leads the antimicrobial stewardship and the Infection Prevention and control activities at the Children’s Hospital. His research interests include antimicrobial studies and the use of biomarkers to enhance antimicrobial stewardship. Stéphane is the deputy director of the Postgraduate Diploma and the Masters in paediatric infectious diseases taught at the University. He was Secretary (2012-2016), then Convenor (2016-2020) of the British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity and Infection Group (BPAIIG).

Dan Perry

Dan Perry is NIHR Research Professor and Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at Alder…

Dan Perry is NIHR Research Professor and Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool. He is BOA Specialty Lead for Paediatric Orthopaedic Clinical Trials, Specialty Editor for the Bone & Joint Journal, Professor at the University of Liverpool.

He leads a major national portfolio of multicentre randomised trials aimed at improving the evidence base for children’s trauma and orthopaedic surgery (www.TOTSresearch.org), including FORCE, SCIENCE, CRAFFT, Big BOSS, PIC Bone, ODD SOCKS, Op Non-STOP, BASIS, ToTs and PREPARE, with further platform studies in development. Together, these studies form one of the largest coordinated orthopaedic trial portfolios internationally.

This work is already shaping routine care, national policy and clinical pathways across the UK, demonstrating that large, pragmatic surgical trials in children can be delivered successfully and can change practice. His research brings together clinicians, methodologists, patients and families across the BOA, BSCOS, PERUKI and NIHR networks, alongside growing international partnerships.

His wider interests include trials embedded in routine care, digital and AI-enabled research infrastructure, and accelerating the translation of robust evidence into everyday clinical practice.

Andrew Pollard

Sir Andrew is Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group in the Department of Paediatrics at the…

…University of Oxford and a consultant paediatrician at Oxford Children’s Hospital and Fellow of St Cross College. He received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2021 for services to Public Health, especially in the pandemic, and received the Order of Medical Merit (Grande Oficial) from the Federal Republic of Brazil in 2022 and is Commander of the Order of Rio Branco. He is host of “the Pandemic People” on the Oxford Colloquy Podcast

He obtained his medical degree at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School, University of London in 1989 and trained in Paediatrics at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, UK, specialising in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at St Mary’s Hospital, London, UK and at British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada. He obtained his PhD at St Mary’s Hospital, London, UK in 1999 studying immunity to Neisseria meningitidis in children and proceeded to work on anti-bacterial innate immune responses in children in Canada before returning to his current position at the University of Oxford in 2001. The core of his research has been on investigation of immunity against the polysaccharide encapsulated bacteria that cause serious infections in children and their prevention through vaccination. His research includes novel observations on the B cell response in early childhood, the design, development and clinical evaluation of vaccines in UK, Asia, Africa and Latin America, including those for COVID-19, typhoid, meningococcus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcus, plague, Q fever, pertussis, influenza, rabies, coronavirus and Ebola, and leads studies using a human challenge model of paratyphoid and typhoid. His seminal work on typhoid supported the WHO prequalification of a new typhoid conjugate vaccine and WHO recommendations for its use in countries with a high burden of disease. He was the chief investigator for the clinical trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which led to authorisation of the vaccine for use in more than 180 countries with over 3 billion doses distributed. The COVID19 vaccine team received the Copley Medal from the Royal Society in 2022. He has supervised 50 PhD students and his publications include over 800 manuscripts and books on various topics in paediatrics and infectious diseases. He was the longest serving chair of the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (2013-2025), and was a member of WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts 2016-2022. He is a member of WHOs Product Development Advisory Committee (2025- ). He chaired the Scientific Advisory Group on Vaccines at the European Medicines Agency from 2012-2020. He chaired the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) meningitis guidelines development group (2006-2010), the NICE topic expert group developing quality standards for management of meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia (2011-2013). He was a member of the British Commission on Human Medicines’ Clinical Trials, Biologicals and Vaccines expert advisory group since 2013-2024. He was Vice-Master of St Cross College, Oxford, 2017-2021. He was an NIHR senior investigator (2018-2021). He received the “Science Honor and Truth Award” of the Instituto de Patologia en la Altura in La Paz, Bolivia in 2002; the Bill Marshall Award of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Disease (ESPID) in 2013; the ESPID Distinguished Award for Education and Communication in 2015; the Rosén von Rosenstein medal in 2019 awarded by the Swedish Paediatric Society and the Swedish Society of Medicine; and the Oxford University Vice Chancellor’s Innovation Award in 2020 for his work on typhoid vaccines. He was elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2016 (member of Council 2022-2025) and the Royal Society in 2024 (member of Council 2025-2028). He was awarded honorary membership of the British Society for Immunology in 2021 and Associate membership of the National School of Healthcare Science (2022). He received the James Spence Medal of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in June 2022 and the 2023 IVI-SK bioscience Park MahnHoon Award. He previously chaired the scientific panel of the Spencer Dayman Meningitis Laboratories Charitable Trust (2002-2006) and was a member of the scientific committee of the Meningitis Research Foundation (2009-2014) and is currently chair of trustees of the Knoop Trust, a Visitor at the Oxford History of Science Museum and a trustee of the Jenner Vaccine Foundation and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra Trust. He made the first British ascent of Jaonli (6632m) in 1988 and Chamlang in 1991 (7309m), was the Deputy leader of the successful 1994 British Medical Everest Expedition and climbed Kilimanjaro (5895m) in 2023.

Tom Quick

Tom Quick was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Magdalene College Cambridge…

…He graduated in Art History with his MB exemptions before moving on to UCL Hospitals to complete his undergradute medical training. After Basic surgical training in London and Sydney (NSW, Australia) he completed his Orthopaedic training on the renowned Bristol rotation. Tom then was then awarded a twelve month Paediatric Orthopaedic fellowship at The Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney, Australia where he worked in clinical and basic science capacity in both general Paediatric Orthopaedics and

Manoj Ramachandran

Professor Manoj Ramachandran is a Consultant Paediatric…

Professor Manoj Ramachandran is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon at The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust in London, England. His clinical expertise is in lower limb surgery and trauma. He has authored 19 books, including AI for Healthcare Professionals, and over 150 peer-reviewed papers. He co-founded Viz.ai in 2016, an artificial intelligence care coordination platform used in over 2,000 US hospitals, and he advises and sits on the boards of multiple global health-tech companies.

Anish Sanghrajka

Anish is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and…

…the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (in alphabetical order!). He has been a consultant with an exclusively paediatric practice, for over 13 years. His clinical work covers the breadth of paediatric orthopaedics, with ispecial interests in the management of limb deformity, paediatric trauma and skeletal dysplasias.

He is currently a board member of the British Society of Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery, and faculty for the AO Paediatric Trauma group.

In addition to his clinical work, he has a longstanding interest in Medical Education, at both under- and postgraduate levels. He has organised a number of regional and national educational events in Paediatric Orthopaedics, and has been invited faculty at a number of courses and national meetings.

He is Training Programme Director for East of England Specialty Training in Trauma & Orthopaedics, and the Paediatric Orthopaedic Lead for the Operational Delivery Network for Surgery in Children in East of England.

He has a number of presentations & publications (papers and book chapters) in a variety of areas including Children’s Orthopaedics and surgical training.

Debbie Shears

Dr Shears was appointed as Consultant in Clinical Genetics in 2006 and Lead Clinician in…

Dr Shears was appointed as Consultant in Clinical Genetics in 2006 and Lead Clinician in 2014.

Dr Shears covers the Oxford, Reading and Milton Keynes area for general genetics clinics including adults and children. She is experienced in syndrome diagnosis, providing advice regarding genetic investigations and the interpretation of genetic test results. She has a special interest in Endocrine Genetics including sex chromosome alterations. She is the Clinical Geneticist for two specialist multidisciplinary team clinics: the Skeletal Dysplasia Clinic and the Disorders of Sex Development Clinic.

Ralph Smith

Ralph qualified from University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in 2008, followed by a Master of…

…Science in Sport Medicine, Exercise and Health from University College London in 2011. Following his General Practice training in Reading, he joined the Thames Valley Sport and Exercise Medicine specialist training programme from 2014. He completed his specialist training 2018 and now holds a substantive Consultant post at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation trust (OUH).

Through his training, he has acquired extensive experience in multidisciplinary musculoskeletal care and is part of the consultant team delivering the paediatric and adult musculoskeletal services. He holds a Diploma in Musculoskeletal ultrasound and regularly integrates ultrasound into his practice. He also runs an ultrasound guided injection service for the OUH Rheumatology department.

He has worked within elite team sport since 2011 and is a contractor for the English Institute of Sport. His previous roles include first team doctor for Reading FC Womens and London Irish Rugby Union Club. He has extensive experience in a number of sports including rowing, triathlon, modern pentathlon, professional football, distance running and has provided medical cover for camps and tournaments including the Commonwealth Games. He has been the travelling physician for GB Hockey, England Women’s Cricket (two T20 world cups) and British Athletics.

Ralph has published and presented internationally in research areas which included stress fractures, triathlon medicine and physical activity in pregnancy. He has been extensively involved in a number of physical activity projects including the national award winning Moving Medicine and Active Hospital pilot projects.

Julie Stebbins

Biography to appear here please check back at a later date for further details

Simon Steppacher

Simon-Damian Steppacher is a Consultant in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the…

…Inselspital, Univeristy of Bern, Switzerland.
He gained his general medical qualification from the University of Bern’s Medical School in 2005 after which he served as a First Lieutenant at the Swiss Army Medical Centre in Frauenfeld. Following his National Service, Simon undertook a series of internships and research posts at the University of Bern under Professors Exadaktylos, Siebenrock, Vögelin and Zimmerman until 2015 when he qualified as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon.
Simon also undertook a Research Fellowship studying the accuracy of CT-based computer-navigated total hip arthroplasty at the New England Baptist Hospital (Tufts University) and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.
Simon has published over fifty articles and book chapters in a wide range of international orthopaedic journals, and lectures regularly at international orthopaedic meetings.

Tim Theologis

Tim is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Oxford University and an honorary…

…Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals. He has been looking after after children with orthopaedic conditions, including developmental dysplasia of the hip, musculoskeletal tumours, neuromuscular disorders and cerebral palsy. He is involved in the supervision of postgraduate degrees and the training of orthopaedic residents. He has an active academic interest, leading multi-centre clinical research studies in children’s orthopaedics and holding NIHR research grants. He is Emeritus Editor in Chief for Gait and Posture. He was a Board member of BSCOS between 2009-2021 and its President between 2018-2020.

Shaun Wilson

Dr Shaun Wilson PhD MRCPCH DCH MB ChB is a specialist in the management of children…

…teenagers and young adults with solid tumours and brain tumours. He undertook his paediatric oncology training in the United Kingdom and Australia, completing a PhD in translational oncology at the University of Birmingham, UK. His particular interests include brain tumours, sarcomas and paediatric oncology in developing countries.

St Hilda’s College, Oxford University

Set within the striking riverside grounds of St Hilda’s College, BSCOS Current Concepts 2026 provides an exceptional environment for learning, discussion and collaboration. Modern, light-filled lecture spaces sit alongside dedicated breakout rooms and welcoming social areas, creating a seamless flow between formal sessions and informal networking. With its tranquil setting just moments from central Oxford, the venue offers delegates a focused, high-quality experience — ensuring productive learning, meaningful connections and a memorable meeting for all attendees

St Hilda’s College
Cowley Place
Oxford
OX4 1DY
United Kingdom

Course Dinner

The course dinner will be held at Oxford’s Baliol College on Thursday 10th December and will include a Ceilidh Dance

Venue Highlights

BSCOS Current Concepts 2026 will take place at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, with the scientific programme hosted across the Riverside Pavilion and Jacqueline du Pré Music Building.

The venue provides dedicated facilities for scientific presentations, professional discussion and interaction between delegates, faculty and industry representatives.

Located in Oxford, St Hilda’s College offers an established academic setting appropriate for a specialist medical education meeting.

Venue Location

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Postcode for the venue is OX4 1DY

On‑site parking at St Hilda’s College is limited and only available for Blue Badge holders by prior arrangement.

For all other attendees, nearby public car parks such as St  Clements are a short walk away, while Oxford’s Park‑and‑Ride sites (e.g., Thornhill or Seacourt) offer a convenient alternative with regular bus links to the College. 

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Oxford Station is the main rail hub for the city, with frequent services from London Paddington (~1 hr) and London Marylebone (~1 hr 15 min), as well as connections from Birmingham, Reading, and other major cities.

The closest airports to St Hilda’s College, Oxford include:

  • London Heathrow (LHR): ~65 miles

  • London Gatwick (LGW): ~85 miles

  • Birmingham Airport (BHX): ~60 miles

  • London Luton (LTN): ~75 miles

  • London Stansted (STN): ~85 miles

 

Platinum Sponsor

Bronze Sponsors

Thank you to all our sponsors, the meetings could not happen without your support.

Exhibitor Opportunities
  • There are a range of exciting opportunities to get your name in front of key decision makers
  • Breakout Sessions
  • Exhibition stand space
  • Logo to appear on all promotional branding
  • Logo and company profile in the conference program
  • Advert to appear in delegate book
  • Introduction video at the beginning of a session
  • Promotional advert in the exhibition and catering area
  • List of attendees prior to the meeting