Professional Development Opportunities: Short Courses & Webinars
At the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO), our commitment to lifelong learning is central to our mission. As the recognised professional body for prosthetists and orthotists in the UK, we understand the critical role that accessible, high-quality education plays in maintaining clinical standards, advancing practice, and enabling career development.
Our educational programmes are designed to empower practitioners鈥攚hether newly qualified or highly experienced鈥攚ith the knowledge, skills, and confidence to meet the dynamic needs of modern prosthetic and orthotic care. BAPO supports professionals throughout their career journeys, ensuring that learning opportunities are relevant, practical, and impactful.
Webinars
Our wide-ranging webinar series offers engaging content delivered by leading experts in the field. Topics include emerging technologies, clinical best practices, patient case studies, healthcare policy updates, and interdisciplinary approaches. These flexible online sessions provide members with the opportunity to stay abreast of current developments鈥攁ll from the convenience of their home or workplace.
Structured Short Courses
In addition to webinars, BAPO delivers structured short courses aimed at deepening specialist knowledge and promoting professional excellence. These courses are grounded in real-world practice and aligned with evolving clinical demands, offering hands-on learning and peer collaboration. Participants benefit from interactive formats that encourage dialogue, critical thinking, and practical application.
Member-Led and Accessible
Our educational initiatives are shaped by the profession itself. We actively seek member feedback and encourage topic suggestions, ensuring that our content remains relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of prosthetists and orthotists. Furthermore, BAPO is proud to offer many of our webinars and learning resources at no cost or reduced rates to members, reinforcing our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.
Through ongoing investment in education, BAPO is not only supporting the growth and development of individual practitioners but also contributing to the advancement of the profession as a whole.
Adair Leadership was founded by Professor John Adair, one of the world鈥檚 foremost authorities on leadership and leadership development. The organisation was听established听to deliver high-quality leadership training and strategic consultancy to organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors, both in the UK and internationally.听
Professor Adair pioneered the Action Centred Leadership庐 model, which has been adopted globally and听remains听one of the most widely taught leadership frameworks in the world. Over one million managers have听participated听in Action Centred Leadership programmes. Professor Adair authored more than 50 leadership books, translated into 18 languages, cementing Adair Leadership鈥檚 position as a globally recognised authority in leadership education and development.听
Adair Leadership鈥檚 trainers are highly experienced facilitators and leadership coaches, delivering leadership training for organisations across the public,听private听and voluntary sectors in the UK and internationally.听
听
Action Centred Leadership庐听Course Testimonials:
Nicola Eddison (BAPO Chair)听
鈥淭he ADAIR Action Centred Leadership course is one of the most practical leadership programmes I have attended. Its framework is clear, immediately applicable, and grounded in real workplace dynamics. What makes it particularly powerful is how translational it is. You leave the course able to put what you have learned into practice straight away, whether that is strengthening team dynamics, understanding how to improve task delivery, or developing individuals. The impact is tangible rather than theoretical听and it is reflected in your leadership the very next day.鈥
Feedback from participants on the 2-day ACL Team Leader course:听
鈥淚 gained a greater understanding of the role of the leader and the skills that are听needed.鈥澨
鈥淭he ACL course has made me look at my team leader role in a new way. It gave听me the opportunity to learn new things to help both me and my team.鈥澨
鈥淭he Three Circles Model is听a very good听way of reminding yourself if you are听covering everything you need to as a leader.鈥澨
鈥淥ur trainer broke down leadership in an encouraging way, providing a clear听route to听effective听leadership.鈥澨
Course description:听
The aim of this course is to develop participants鈥 leadership capability by building self-awareness, practical leadership听skills听and the confidence to apply the Three Circles Model庐 (task, team and individual) in their own role and organisational context so they can become good leaders and leaders for good.听
Grounded in John Adair鈥檚 values-based and skills-led approach to leadership, the course enables participants to translate leadership theory into practical action through reflection,听application听and structured sessions.听
听
What is Action-Centred Leadership?听
听
Action Centred Leadership (ACL庐) is a practical and flexible approach to leadership that helps you understand how to lead people, deliver results, and build strong teams. It is based on the belief that today鈥檚 organisations need good leaders and leaders for good, people who are effective in their role and who act with integrity, responsibility, and purpose.听
听
ACL focuses on leadership as a set of learnable skills rather than a personality trait or job title. It recognises that leadership happens at听different levels听in every organisation, whether you are leading a team, managing multiple teams, or helping shape strategic direction. The same core principles apply at each level, supporting leaders to balance performance, people and purpose while making a positive and lasting impact.听
Learning Outcomes:听
Gain insight into your own leadership strengths and development areas听
Practise and apply the core skills of Action Centred Leadership with confidence听
Evaluate and use the ACL Three Circles Model to balance task,听team听and individual needs within your role and across your organisation听
Develop a realistic and measurable ACL Action Plan to implement ACL practices in your work environment听
Intended Participants:听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥嬏齇rthotist听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥嬏齈rosthetist听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥嬏齇rthotic technician听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥嬏齈rosthetic technician听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥嬏齇rthotic support worker听听听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥嬏齈rosthetic support worker听听听
We encourage practising Orthotists or Orthotic Support Workers, who must be听working in the UK, to apply for reimbursement from OETT (The Orthotic Education and Training Trust).
Course fee funding for non-BAPO members would be at the 50 % BAPO member rate for practising Orthotists or Orthotic Support Workers who must be working in the UK only.
Applications can be made via the online applications link on the OETT website: Requests for reimbursement must include evidence of reflective learning/CPD.
Please note: OETT will听fund听50% of the BAPO Membership cost of the fee of the听course and听will support travel and accommodation at听their听usual rate.听
Course description:听
Orthotic management of early stroke 鈥 A one day course
听
Within our busy clinical schedules, orthotists are often requested to provide opinion on orthotic intervention for stroke patients at all stages of their recovery. A common comment is we wish we had seen them earlier. If our wish came true. What would we do and what is the ideal approach for orthotic treatment from day one?
听
For physiotherapists, there are a plethora of evidence based interventions with little guidance for best approach treating and managing stroke survivors with motor impairments
听
Our course offers a well thought out clinically reasoned approach based on physiotherapy interventions and NICE guidelines to create a care pathway that gives patients and therapists the best opportunity to reach optimal recovery and independence.
听
This course commences with formal presentations supporting the pathway and leads to practical demonstration with patients.
What do orthotists do for stroke patients?
听
We all work in different ways . The evidence base for stroke rehabilitation, not just for orthotists is so variable, there is no consistency.
听
Often orthotists are asked to provide specific treatment for one aspect of alignment at request of physiotherapists wiho may not consider the greater impact potential of orthotic treatment.
听
Orthotists often say, they should be involved earlier, but if they did, what would they do? What principles would they use? What evidence or clinical reasoning do they have to support there intervention, not only as the patient presents initially but as to how it will contribute to ongoing rehabilitation and hopefully improvement and recovery. What complimentary interventions in the way of Physiotherapy would they recommend?
听
We have considered these questions over many years working together and look forward to sharing our thoughts, but also providing a care pathway where orthotic treatment and assessment is at the core of rehabilitation.
Learning Outcomes:听
Orthotic management of early stroke听听
Background and understanding of stroke pathology听听
What鈥檚 the evidence for interventions?听
Current practice and variability听
A proposed model to optimise motor learning.听
Practical assessment and clinical test听
Simulating interventions听
Complimentary interventions听
Case studies听
Intended Participants:听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥 Orthotists
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥 Orthotic support workers
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥 Other: Physiotherapists听听
Course timings: registration at 09:00, start 09:30, finish by 16.00.
We encourage practising Orthotists or Orthotic Support Workers, who must be听working in the UK, to apply for reimbursement from OETT (The Orthotic Education and Training Trust).
Course fee funding for non-BAPO members would be at the BAPO member rate for practising Orthotists or Orthotic Support Workers, who must be working in the UK only.
Applications can be made via the online applications link on the OETT website: Requests for reimbursement must include evidence of reflective learning/CPD.
Course aim:
The course aims to improve the skills of the Orthotist when providing therapeutic footwear to their patients.鈥嬏
Course description:
Day 1听is presented virtually and covers footwear assessment procedures, what to consider, analysis of the situation and how to use this information to choose the most听appropriate type听of footwear.听听The听different types听of footwear will be discussed, stock, modular, and bespoke footwear (its uses, allowances,听benefits听and limitations).听听The mechanics of feet and how they affect footwear and how footwear affects feet is included, with lots of detail about designing bespoke footwear and how each part of it should be specified and designed by the orthotist to achieve the best outcome for the patient.鈥嬧嬏
听
Days 2 and 3听are face to face and includes practical sessions aiming to improve assessment, measuring skills, casting, fitting,听supplying听and reviewing skills.鈥嬏
Potential problems at fitting and review and how to resolve them will be discussed and suggestions on how to improve practice will be suggested.鈥嬏
Attendees should be prepared to share a short case study on day 1.听听This can be either a success or a problem that they experience in their footwear provision.听听A brief description is all that is needed but photos would help.鈥嬧嬏
Attendees should bring an example of a footwear draft to day 2.鈥嬏
听
Delegates will need to attend all 3 days of this Short Course.听
Intended Participants:听
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥 Orthotists
鈥嬧嬧槖鈥 Other: Learners
We encourage practising Orthotists who must be听working in the UK, to apply for reimbursement from OETT (The Orthotic Education and Training Trust).
Course fee funding for non-BAPO members would be at the BAPO member rate for practising Orthotists or Orthotic Support Workers, who must be working in the UK only.
Applications can be made via the online applications link on the OETT website: Requests for reimbursement must include evidence of reflective learning/CPD.
We鈥檙e planning a hands-on anatomy refresher course for clinicians and students in Prosthetics & Orthotics鈥攁nd we want your input.
This course will bring together expert-led teaching, cadaveric prosections, and digital tools to revisit clinically relevant anatomy in a practical, applied way.
Help us shape the course by telling us which anatomical areas you鈥檇 find most valuable.
Complete the short survey and register your interest鈥攕paces will be limited.
Conservative Management of Knee Osteoarthritis: Evidence, Bracing Techniques, and Case Studies听
Current Evidence and NICE Thresholds听
Speaker:听Dr. Jill Halstead-Rastrick听
Description:听Exercise and weight loss are the first-line treatments for knee osteoarthritis (OA). Alongside this, knee braces offer people with knee pain an alternative treatment听option, especially for those where first line treatments or knee surgery are not possible, but the evidence is limited.听听
Knee bracing was reviewed as part of the recent OA NICE guideline听update听and this will be discussed.听
Auditing Knee Brace Provision听
Speaker:听Matthew Wood听
Description:听During the Covid-19 pandemic, when elective surgery was suspended on the NHS, the waiting list for total knee replacements got longer with fewer resources available to manage deteriorating patients. We designed an audit to propose听appropriate patients听are offered an orthotists鈥 assessment whilst they wait, and a protocol was agreed.听This provided us with an opportunity to prove that the research supporting knee bracing could provide benefits to quality of life, improve outcomes, and reduce costs.听听
In this session, we wish to share the learning from this audit and provide a framework for those interested in addressing local barriers to provision.听
Biomechanical Principles and Brace Selection for OA Bracing听
Speaker:听Giles Leeming
Description:听Bracing for knee osteoarthritis relies on biomechanical principles to manage the听osteoarthritis (OA) by redistributing the mechanical load across the knee joint. Understanding these principles is crucial for selecting and听customising听braces to cater to individual patient needs, ensuring effective pain management and functional improvement. Giles Leeming will go through these principles, and will also delve into the principles for听accurate听brace selection; and present case studies听听
Giles will also introduce Allan Henshall, a bi-lateral brace user and will also present problem-solving through various case studies.
Past Short Courses & Webinars
