The 'Consensus Project' & ISPO UK Upper Limb Difference Special Interest Group

The 'Consensus Project"

NHS commissioning policy has been a hot topic for those of us in the upper-limb prosthetics field recently. With the recent multi-grip hand policy review, it was again highlighted that there is limited evidence available to address the questions posed within the policy evidence reviews. There are several reasons that this may be the case, and our study aims to take a different approach to previous work, building up from these research questions and developing a UK wide consensus on the research study designs required to develop the evidence base. During the first phase of this project, we brought together a multi-disciplinary group of stakeholders to take part in some consensus building workshops. We are currently analysing the data from these workshops and are seeking funding for the next phase which will finalise the design of the research projects. Here we will summarise the activities to date.

ISPO UK Upper Limb Difference Special Interest Group

I will be introducing the ISPO UK Special Interest Group which focusses on the upper limb and updating on plans from ISPO International for a similar group.

 

Dr Alix Chadwell

Alix (a Medical Engineer by background) is a Senior Research Associate at Newcastle University employed by the NIHR and also holds a research post at the University of Salford through the RAEng. Her research explores upper-limb prosthetics, in particular understanding how people use their devices. Over the past 6 months she has been co-leading a project funded by Newcastle University to explore the research study designs which would be required to address the evidence gaps in upper-limb prosthetics policy. Her research vision involves engaging with multiple stakeholders from across the UK with the aim of improving study recruitment and the real-world relevance of prosthetics research. Alix is also heavily involved in ISPO’s scientific portfolio, sitting on the UK exec, the International Scientific Committee, and the North Sea committee who will become the local organising committee for the 2025 World Congress. Through her role in ISPO UK she has developed a Special Interest Group in upper limb deficiency and acquired amputation, which ISPO International are now looking to develop at an international level.