British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS) update

Rick Brown, BOFAS President

Over the last year the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society has set an agenda of inclusion.

• Inclusion of all our 706 members in the wide-ranging activities of BOFAS is central to us. Our new EDI working group commissioned an external survey, which gave us a deeper appreciation of who we are and the specific concerns of our diverse membership. This led to a new mentorship programme and wider more inclusive faculty selection for meetings.

• Inclusion of the voices of surgeons from the devolved nations was highlighted in our survey. Consequently, we now have bi-annual meetings of their leaders with the BOFAS President.

• Inclusion of all ankle arthritis surgeons into regional networks to manage complex ankle deformities has moved forwards this year. This will allow patients across the country access to both replacement and re-alignment surgeons. In November, a consensus group thrashed out our new BOAST guidelines to manage primary, revision and infected ankle replacements as well as the flow of patients through these networks.

• Inclusion of our valued allied health professionals has continued with our successful courses for physiotherapists, while we have initiated discussion with the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery to develop an understanding of each other’s training, scope of practice and regulation.

• Inclusion of overseas surgeons on our courses in Zambia and Togo, while our Principles Course returned to India for the first time since COVID-19.

• Inclusion of a Sports Ankle Arthroscopy course into our acclaimed portfolio of courses which already included the Principles of Foot & Ankle Surgery course and the Advanced Fellows Forum. This hands-on training gives aspiring orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons essential skills in ankle arthroscopy.

• Inclusion and invitation of all the European Foot and Ankle Surgeons has increased the participation in our two webinar series. Firstly there is the ‘Master Techniques’, where experts discuss their tips and tricks and secondly ‘The BOFAS Journal Club’ where the authors defend and reflect on their published papers.

• Inclusion and co-ordination of units in new multi-centre RCTS began to answer the key questions defined in the JLA initiative by our scientific committee.

• Inclusion of the BOFAS voice on national bodies such as NJR and NICE is vital. We are pleased to have co-badged with GIRFT a consent form for a first metatarsal osteotomy.

• Inclusion of the Irish orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society as our Guest Nation at our Annual Scientific Meeting in Belfast demonstrates our outward approach, with a further joint meeting planned with the Australians in 2026.