The British Society for Surgery of the Hand exists to "promote and direct the development of Hand Surgery, to foster and co-ordinate education, study and research in Hand Surgery, and to disseminate knowledge of Hand Surgery among members of the medical and allied health professions."
The ethos the society is to promote harmony between orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, which derives from its origins immediately after the Second World War during which new methods of treatment of wounded airmen were developed by surgeons such as
Patrick Clarkson
Patrick Wensley Clarkson, (20 February 1911 – 28 December 1969), was a plastic surgeon at Guy's Hospital in London, best known for surgery of the hand and the description of "Poland Syndactyly", later termed Poland syndrome.
Born in New Zeal ...
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History
The society was formed as the Second Hand Club in 1956 at the instigation of Graham Stack after the original Hand Club, formed by plastic surgeon Patrick Clarkson in 1952, refused to admit younger surgeons.[Our History.]
British Society for Surgery of the Hand. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
In the late 1960s it became the British Club for Surgery of the Hand and in 1968 adopted its current name and a formal constitution. The first president was Guy Pulvertaft. Other notable surgeons to participate were Rainsford Mowlem
Arthur Rainsford Mowlem (1902–1986), born in New Zealand, was the youngest of the four plastic surgeons who practised in between the world wars in Britain. In 1936, he joined the London based partnership that was started by Sir Harold Gillies a ...
, J. I. P. James, and John Barron.[
The society became a registered charity in 1975.][
]
Activities
The society is recognised as an institution that provides education and training in its field:University of Manchester
, mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity
, established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...
, it runs a postgraduate certification in hand surgery.steroid
A steroid is a biologically active organic compound with four rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter membrane fluidity; and a ...
injection given in the first instance has a better outcome than performing surgery for people with moderate carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the collection of symptoms and signs associated with median neuropathy at the carpal tunnel. Most CTS is related to idiopathic compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist at the carpal tunn ...
.British Orthopaedic Association
The British Orthopaedic Association is a professional association in Britain for doctors who specialize in orthopaedic surgery.
History
The British Orthopaedic Association was founded in 1918. One of the founders was Harry Platt, who went on to s ...
(BOA), to advise the National Institute of Clinical Excellence
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care in England that publishes guidelines in four areas:
* the use of health technologies withi ...
, on the best management of distal radial fractures.[British Society for Surgery of the Hand & British Orthopaedic Association. (2018) ''Best Practice for Management of Distal Radial Fractures (DRFs)''. London: BSSH & BOA.]
* The society produces a peer-reviewed academic journal, '' The Journal of Hand Surgery'', jointly with the Federation of European Societies for Surgery of the Hand.''Journal of Hand Surgery''.
Sage. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
Selected publications
*
Best Practice for Management of Distal Radial Fractures (DRFs)
'. London, 2018. (With the British Orthopaedic Association)
References
{{authority control
1956 establishments in England
Surgical organisations based in the United Kingdom
Learned societies of the United Kingdom
Health charities in the United Kingdom