From the Executive Editor

Simon Hodkinson

Flaming June has arrived, or hopefully it will have by the time you read this, although it’s currently pouring down on the south coast as I write this editorial.

This is my first one having taken over from Deborah Eastwood and I hope I can do justice to her and all she has done during her time as Executive Editor.

In her last editorial back in March, she reflected on the uncertainty of the world we found ourselves in but also the hope for a reduction in COVID numbers and the potential for a sort of normality in the months to come.

Well, COVID is beginning to settle but that was not before Omicron reminded us how quickly things can change. As we look to recover from a pandemic what a World, we now live in. A war in Europe for the first time in nearly 80 years and inflation going through the roof on the home front. To cap it all, as COVID recedes, at least for the time being, we have a waiting list mountain to climb making Mike Reed’s article on BODS (page 24) all the more important in the current climate.

However, there is much change for good in our profession although a long way to go.

In this edition of the JTO we continue with the theme of Equality and Diversity with thought provoking articles on disability, socioeconomic profiles in the BOA (page 32) and the barriers to flexible training in the UK (page 28) which despite significant advances in recent years still exists and no doubt adversely affect some people’s decision to consider T&O as a realistic career option. Finally, the trainee article from BOTA considers ‘Professionalism in T&O’ (page 40).

Alisdair Felstead considers the need for a change in surgical mindset in reviewing Matthew Syed’s well known book ‘Black Box thinking’ (page 20). Ian Winson was calling for a ‘Just Culture’ many years ago but sadly we seem unable to move on from the blame game!

Professor Eastwood makes a rapid return for a guest appearance as editor of our subspecialty section considering the ‘Ability in disability’ (page 46) reflecting in part, on some astonishing achievements of those considered ‘disabled’. Virginie Pollet’s article (page 48) highlights why a disability is not a ‘non-ability’ and shouldn’t limit children with an impairment from participating in sport. John McFall (page 52) gives his own personal account as an amputee of the opportunities, both sporting and professional, he took up and Louise McMenemy’s article (page 56) highlights how advances in orthotic design are benefiting young patients returning to impact activities.

Finally, our sister publication ‘The Transient Journal’ is undergoing a change. Introduced in the height of the pandemic by Bob Handley to facilitate rapid dissemination of information and best practice, it has been a huge success. However it must evolve and continue as the online arm of the BOA, and so under the editorship of Caroline Hing the Transient Journal is to become permanent and will be rebranded as ‘Orthopaedics Online’. I hope you will continue to support it.

I do hope you will enjoy this edition of the JTO and hopefully we see some sunshine in the months to come.