From the Executive Editor

Deborah Eastwood

March winds and April showers... but in February? Perhaps just another example of the somewhat topsy-turvy world we find ourselves in at the moment? Although we are told, ‘restrictions’ are ending and ‘things’ are returning to normal, from a T&O point of view, we may still beg to differ. However, as an endlessly naïve optimist, I do believe that the winds of change are passing through our specialty and now is a great opportunity for innovative thinking and sustainable solutions. We certainly need to think differently when you realise the scale of the problem as outlined in John’s ‘From the President’ article (page 5).

#SolvingTogether (https://solvingtogether.crowdicity.com) challenges you to submit your ideas that you think will make a difference for our patients – it gives you the opportunity to look at the ideas of others too and to vote for those you think will truly make a difference. So please just go ‘do it’ and put your idea forward.

Both our subspecialty section, (from page 46), and our recent online document www.boa.ac.uk/orthobiologics look at orthobiologic treatments critiquing the rationale and the evidence for their use in different situations and asking the question posed on our front cover: are they the right treatment for Ms X? This review of the evidence is balanced by two interesting and personal perspectives from a surgeon (page 58) and a patient (page 62).

My pledge to you for 2022 was to concentrate on the wider issues of diversity and engagement and as we approach #International Women’s Day it is pleasing to see how far IODA has come in the last two years (page 26). The BOA guidance on parental leave (www.boa.ac.uk/parenthood) is supported by James’s article (page 30) where he asks you to consider being the person you cannot see and supporting them when you do see them. Another group of trainees (page 42) show that you can demonstrate commitment to your profession whilst gaining experience and having fun all without spending a fortune.

There is perhaps no greater change that a person can make than exchanging their UK day job for a role providing humanitarian support to those in dire need in crisis areas (page 38) and encouraging us to recycle to boot! As I begin to introduce you to my presidential theme of sustainable systems, we all need to find ways in which we can contribute little and often.

I always like to learn so was delighted to read the article on implantable devices and MRI (page 22) – some common sense information that we can all put to use for patient benefit.

This issue of the JTO welcomes Fergal Monsell as Honorary Secretary and Simon Britten as Medico-legal Chair – both excellent additions to the BOA team. If you would like to join the team we will be looking for nominations for Trustee positions soon (page 9) – we need yet more diversity: northerners would be very welcome!

Unbelievably (to me!) this is my last editorial and as I hand over the JTO reins to the capable pair of hands that belong to Simon Hodkinson, your new Executive Editor, I would like to thank Nicholas Dunwell and Annette Heninger for guiding my editorial hands over the last 18 months and Hiro Tanaka and Fergal Monsell for helping to commission the content for JTO. Your help has been much appreciated. I will take a short breather before returning – albeit on a different page of the JTO!