Save the date!

We are delighted to announce the upcoming BAPO Regional Conference Newport, taking place on:

📅 Friday 4th September 2026
📍 The ICC Wales, Coldra Wood, Newport NP18 1DE

Theme: “Beyond the device”

This year’s conference will feature an engaging and diverse programme, including:

• Three keynote speakers

• Seven oral presentations

• Poster displays

• Lunch and refreshments throughout the day included.

BAPO members will receive fully funded tickets to attend.

Non- members will be priced at £110.00 for an early bird ticket (Until 03/07/26) and £130.00 for a standard ticket.

Tickets are now live — we encourage you to book early, as our last conference in Oxford sold out quickly!

We look forward to welcoming you to an inspiring day focused on patient-centred care.

BAPO  Networking Evening

Why not join us the evening before the conference and awards for an informal networking opportunity with fellow delegates, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors, and members of the BAPO team?

The BAPO team will be staying at the Ty Newport,Hotel on both Thursday and Friday evenings and would be delighted to welcome delegates for a relaxed evening of conversation and networking in the hotel bar on Thursday 3rd September 2026.

Whether you are attending the conference, the awards ceremony, or both, this is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the profession, meet new contacts, and catch up with friends in an informal setting before the main events begin.

Venue: Ty Newport, Hotel
Date: Thursday 3rd September 2026
Time: From 7:00pm onwards (informal drop-in)

If you are planning to stay at the hotel, delegates can access a discounted accommodation rate (based on best availability so be sure to book at your earliest convenience to secure the best rate) which you will receive upon booking tickets to the events when booking.

We look forward to seeing you there and kicking off a fantastic BAPO Conference and P&O Awards weekend together.

Dr Annie Price – Proudly sponsored by Thuasne

Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine

Dr Annie Price is a consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine. She completed her training in Wales in 2024. She now works as a consultant in Cardiff at the Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre, specialising in amputee rehabilitation. She has an interest in medical education and is an honorary lecturer at Cardiff University, contributing to teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Before starting her training in rehabilitation medicine, she worked in a Wound Healing centre and has published articles and book chapters in this field.

Dr Annie Price will be presenting a summary of complex cases to highlight the importance of joint working between acute and rehabilitation services, the value of collaborative MDT working and the role of rehabilitation physicians in co-ordinating care.

Professor Stella Vig

Deputy National Medical Director for Secondary Care and Quality
National Clinical Director for Elective Care
Chief Clinical Transformation Officer for SWL ICB
Consultant Vascular and General Surgeon
Honorary Professor of Practice, UCL

Stella brings over 30 years of NHS experience, with a career spanning clinical practice, strategic leadership, and system-wide transformation. As a consultant in vascular and general surgery at Croydon University Hospital since 2006, she has consistently driven service improvement and operational excellence.
In her national roles as Deputy National Medical Director for Secondary Care and Quality, and National Clinical Director for Elective Care at NHS England, Stella leads initiatives to improve patient safety, streamline elective care, and enhance clinical pathways through data-driven decision-making.
Most recently, Stella serves as Joint Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Southwest London ICB, shaping long-term clinical strategy and optimising service delivery. Stella also continues to champion the Croydon Elective Centre, ensuring continuity of planned care even during peak demand.
Across all her roles, Stella is recognised for her collaborative leadership and ability to deliver scalable, impactful improvements in healthcare quality and efficiency.

Juliet Sturgess – Proudly sponsored by OETT

Associate Director for the Allied Health Professions (AHPs) at Dorset County Hospital

Juliet Sturgess graduated from Salford University in 2002 with a BSc in Prosthetics and Orthotics.  Her clinical career in orthotics spanned over 20 years and Juliet grasped opportunities to develop leadership skills through working for BAPO, leadership fellowships and national roles with NHS England.  Juliet was pivotal in the development of apprenticeships in Prosthetics and Orthotics and subsequently helped other professions to do the same.  Appointed as Associate Director for the Allied Health Professions (AHPs) at Dorset County Hospital in October 2023, Juliet focuses on maximising the impact of each of the twelve allied health professions she oversees.  In October 2025, she became one of the first AHPs in England to receive the prestigious Gold Award for Excellence from the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for England for her contributions to the prosthetics and orthotics professions, advocacy in healthcare education and wider contributions to the AHP community.
 

Call for Abstracts

Call for abstracts has now closed and we are now contacting individuals if they have been successful in their submissions. Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit an abstract. The level of submissions was extremely high.