About the research group

The Orthopaedic Surgery research group is based in the IMS and Polworth buildings at the Foresterhill site in Aberdeen and is a member of the Bone and Musculoskeletal Research Programme in the Division of Applied Medicine. Maps and travel directions for Foresterhill and Aberdeen city can be found here.

History

The department was established in 1990 with support from Action Research to establish the Sir Harry Platt Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery. Professor Richard W Porter was the first appointment to this chair and remained in post until October 1995, when he became the Director of Post-Graduate Studies at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. The present Sir Harry Platt Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Head of Department is Professor James D Hutchison. The academic department has two Clinical Senior Lecturers and Honorary Consultants (Mr G P Ashcroft and Mr A Sutherland ), one non-Clinical Reader and Director of Research (Dr R Aspden), and one Clinical Lecturer (one of the Higher Surgical Trainees, rotating in post every six months). The Academic Department of Orthopaedic Surgery continues to expand, and now has several Research Registrars plus affiliated pre- and post-doctoral Research Assistants, technical and secretarial staff. The Department is committed to academic excellence, and well established programmes in basic and clinical sciences are in place.

The aims of the Department are to provide undergraduate and postgraduate training in Orthopaedic Surgery and to perform research related to Orthopaedics. This ranges from fundamental studies of the mechanical and biological behaviour of skeletal tissues through to implantable devices. Funding for research programmes comes from the Medical Research Council, The Scottish Office, various charitable bodies such as The Arthritis Research Campaign, and industry. One of the strength of Aberdeen is the willingness to form collaborations and we have very good links with Chemistry, Rheumatology, Radiology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology within the University and the Rowett Research Institute just on the edge of the city.

The NHS Department includes 12 Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons, 10 Higher Surgical Trainees, 2 Senior House Officers from the basic surgical rotation, 3 Staff Grade Orthopaedic Surgeons, 7 Senior House Officers in the Elective Unit at Woodend Hospital, and 5 pre-registration House Officers in the Trauma Unit at Aberdeen Royal Hospitals Trust. There is a separate Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital on the Foresterhill site. Woodend Hospital, where all elective orthopaedics is performed, is approximately 1.5 miles away.

Close ties exist between the academic and service departments. All medically qualified academic staff hold honorary service contracts and undertake service responsibilities. Members of the Department are involved with Scottish and UK Research and Policy Committees. The Department serves a population of approximately 650,000 and acts as a secondary and tertiary referral centre for the North East of Scotland, embracing Orkney and the Shetland Islands. There are over 3,000 trauma admissions per year and 3,500 elective admissions. There are a full range of fracture, general elective, specialist and children's orthopaedic clinics.