Association Partner Programme
The BAPO Association Partner Programme exists to strengthen global collaboration across the prosthetic and orthotic profession. The challenges facing prosthetics and orthotics, workforce sustainability, access to education, regulation, innovation, and patient need, do not stop at national borders. Global issues require global responses, and this partnership is designed to make that possible.
Through this programme, BAPO and its partner Associations commit to supporting one another through shared knowledge, shared resources, and aligned advocacy. By working together, we can raise the international profile of the prosthetic and orthotic profession, amplify professional voices, and promote consistent standards of care worldwide.
For BAPO members, these partnerships expand professional horizons, connecting the UK profession to international perspectives, innovation, and best practice. For partner Associations and their members, the programme provides access to high quality education, professional resources, and platforms that support learning, visibility, and engagement.
At its core, this partnership is about collective strength. By collaborating globally, we build a more connected, informed, and resilient profession that is better equipped to serve patients, support practitioners, and shape the future of prosthetics and orthotics together.
If you are interested in becoming an Association Partner please contact enquiries@bapo.com
Association Partners
The association was founded as early as 1946 with the aim of promoting higher qualifications and professional standards within the field, monitoring developments, and working to ensure that its members achieved fair and equitable standards in terms of employment conditions and remuneration
The Swedish Prosthetics and Orthotics Association (SOIF) is a politically independent professional organization. Our work is guided by the values of a democratic society governed by the rule of law, as reflected in Swedish legislation as well as in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
SOIF exists to represent and support the professional interests of orthopedic engineers in Sweden.
In practice, this means that we work to:
- Promote strong opportunities for continuing professional development, advanced training, and research
- Advocate for good employment conditions and a healthy working environment
- Initiate, organize, and contribute to education that strengthens and develops the role of the orthopedic engineer
- Enhance the visibility and impact of orthopedic engineers within the healthcare system
- Support a knowledgeable, responsible profession that is well prepared to work both nationally and internationally
We greatly value collaboration with our international sister organizations and see strong potential in sharing knowledge, experience, and best practice to further strengthen our profession together
SOTF was founded in 1980 with the purpose of creating an association to meet orthopedic technicians’ needs for continuing education and knowledge exchange. Everyone working in the orthopedic technology field as a production technician/orthopedic technician is welcome as a member. A large proportion of Sweden’s orthopedic technicians are members of SOTF.
SOTF organizes webinars, training courses, and study visits. We collaborate with other interest organizations when arranging conferences.
SOTF awards generous travel grants to its members for professional development within the field.
NITO Ortopedi is Norways’ network for certified prosthetists and orthotists in the workforce, and includes students and retirees. The network brings together professionals from across the country and plays a central role in strengthening the orthopaedic engineering profession, promoting members’ interests, and supporting high‑quality services for patients.
The purpose of NITO Ortopedi is to strengthen the professional community and ensure that prosthetists and orthotists have access to updated knowledge, professional meeting places, and relevant training opportunities.
This is done by work focused to:
- develop and strengthen the profession
- influence framework conditions and policy
- safeguard the members’ professional and occupational interests
- ensure quality, ethics, and competence within the field
- be an active and visible voice in dialogue with authorities and industry stakeholders
The network offers conferences, thematic meetings, and opportunities for professional development, including grant schemes that support research and innovation within the field. It also functions as a channel for job postings and professional information for its members.
The overall aim of the network is to serve as a unifying and driving force for the profession, contribute to quality and patient safety, and ensure that the expertise of prosthetists and orthotists is recognized and valued within the health and welfare system.
The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) – Saudi Arabia is the national chapter of ISPO, dedicated to advancing education, research, and professional collaboration in the field of prosthetics, orthotics, and rehabilitation. The chapter works to support clinicians, researchers, and industry partners by promoting knowledge exchange, professional development, and improved standards of care for individuals with physical disabilities across Saudi Arabia.
The network offers conferences, thematic meetings, and opportunities for professional development, including grant schemes that support research and innovation within the field. It also functions as a channel for job postings and professional information for its members.
The overall aim of the network is to serve as a unifying and driving force for the profession, contribute to quality and patient safety, and ensure that the expertise of prosthetists and orthotists is recognized and valued within the health and welfare system.
Journal Partnership
Building on the success of BAPO’s existing partnership programme, this new strand focuses specifically on working with journals and publishers to improve access to research, support education and continuing professional development, and increase visibility for high-quality scholarly content within the profession.
Benefits for BAPO Members
The Journal Partnership Programme delivers clear and tangible benefits for BAPO members, supporting their clinical practice, research activity and lifelong learning. Through these partnerships, members may gain access to:
- Reduced or waived article processing charges (APCs) for open-access publishing
- Greater exposure to relevant, high-quality research in prosthetics and orthotics
- Educational resources such as CPD articles, research summaries and webinars
- Improved engagement with journals aligned to professional priorities and clinical practice
By strengthening links with journals, BAPO aims to ensure that its members are supported to publish, access and apply evidence-based research, enhancing patient care and professional standards across the UK.
Benefits for Journals and Publishers
For journals, the programme provides a valuable opportunity to connect directly with a highly engaged, specialist professional audience. Partner journals benefit from:
- Increased visibility and recognition through BAPO’s website and communication channels
- Targeted promotion to practising prosthetists and orthotists across the UK
- Opportunities to share content and updates with members via newsletters, events and digital communications
- Stronger engagement with clinicians and researchers working at the forefront of prosthetics and orthotics practice
The programme offers flexible partnership options, enabling journals to select a model that best aligns with their strategic goals, whether focused on visibility, education, or member benefits.
About CPOJ (Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/index)
Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal (CPOJ) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal (ISSN 2561-987X) that promotes unrestricted access to articles for prosthetics and orthotics professionals, researchers, and rehabilitation teams. The scope of the journal includes prosthetics, orthotics, rehabilitation sciences, Mobility Assistive Technology (MAT), Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the prosthetics and orthotics field. CPOJ is indexed by the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), PubMed Central® (PMC), Scopus, Crossref, Sherpa Romeo, and Google Scholar. All accepted articles are permanently available online to the public without restrictions or subscription fees. Published articles in CPOJ can be used, copied, and distributed, provided that appropriate acknowledgment is included. Authors retain the copyright for their original contributions. Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal is hosted by the University of Toronto Libraries and is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). CPOJ articles are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. CPOJ articles are freely accessible on PubMed Central® (PMC).
Get Involved
BAPO welcomes expressions of interest from journals and publishers who share a commitment to advancing research, education and professional practice in prosthetics and orthotics.
For more information or to discuss partnership opportunities, please refer to the attached flyer or contact BAPO directly at enquiries@bapo.com
Quote from Dr Laura Barr, chair of the BAPO Research Committee
“We are excited to work more closely with our journal partners through this new programme. It creates meaningful opportunities for the prosthetics and orthotics community to strengthen relationships between research and practice, support evidence-based care, and improve access to high-quality, relevant research for our members.”
Job Advert – Daceys – Orthotist, Worcestershire
BAPO – Teatime Talk – What Does “Digital” Really Mean in Prosthetics & Orthotics? Rethinking Practice, Skills, and Innovation
Introducing Maeve Cassidy as the new BAPO Champion
BAPO would like to welcome Maeve as our first BAPO Champion, promoting within her service the work BAPO does and the benefits membership has. Maeve will be leading a BAPO Champion initiative and added more BAPO Champions to the team. We look forward to seeing the work Maeve does.
Design a prosthetic limb for a superhero
The British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics, in collaboration with the Limbless Association, and LIMB-art, is launching “Design a Superhero with a Prosthetic Limb” for Key Stage 2 pupils across the UK .
This engaging project challenges students to design a prosthetic limb for a superhero, helping them explore engineering, design thinking, and the human impact of healthcare careers. Along the way, pupils also learn about the role of prosthetists and how science and creativity combine to change lives.
Why get involved
- Links directly to STEM learning and the Gatsby Benchmarks
- Supports PSHE themes of inclusion, resilience, and positive representation of disability
- Offers a meaningful encounter with a real healthcare profession
- Flexible for classroom, club, or enrichment use
Who can take part
All UK primary school pupils in Key Stage 2.
Prizes
- The winning student or group will see their design turned into a real LIMB-art prosthetic cover.
- The winning school will receive a £1,000 voucher to spend on resources or student activities.
- The winning entry will also be featured in BAPO’s national magazine and online platforms.
Key dates
- Entries close: 29 May 2026
- Winner announced by: 30 June 2026
Entries are submitted by schools via a simple online form, and pupils can enter using drawings, models, or digital designs.
All competition materials, including lesson-friendly resources and full guidance, are available in the competition pack.
For more information or to get started, please see the document below:
Applications now open: NIHR Predoctoral Award
📢 Calling all health and care professionals working in any rehabilitation setting in the UK!
At the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre Rehabilitation we are looking into the education and training needs of health and care professionals working in UK rehabilitation settings relating to #rehabilitation #technologies. Our survey only takes a few minutes to complete and will help to inform future provisions – please have your say!
Access the survey and more information here:
https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/nottingham/education-and-training-needs-rehab-tech
BAPO Connected Care – Carer-led involvement in congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) treatment choice and innovation
