Abstract

The Orthopaedic Institute Limited founded in 1971 is a registered national charity and through voluntary contributions, helps to fund research in the specialist research centres and departments within the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Oswestry, Shropshire. It also supports the funding of educational facilities and activities such as organising training courses for orthopaedic trainees and allied health professionals. The Executive Committee, under the Chairmanship of Dr Brian Ashton, decides the policy of the Institute and monitors its progress. A Research Panel, under the Chairmanship of Mr Andrew Clarke, considers new research projects proposed by research staff and clinicians, and recommends to the Executive Committee, the projects to be funded from the income provided by grants and donations received. The research referred to in this Annual Report has been undertaken by the Research Departments, Institute of Orthopaedics, the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital and the Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine of Keele University, which all work in close collaboration. This includes research projects funded by the Orthopaedic Institute and projects for which funds have been obtained by the NHS Foundation Trust and external organisations. Research staff employed on the projects are either supported by the Orthopaedic Institute or are working within Departments of the Hospital or the School of Postgraduate Medicine, Keele University. Many programmes are interdisciplinary and involve staff from one or more departments. The research work results in new and improved methods of treatment as well as additions to medical knowledge. The Report provides a comprehensive account of orthopaedic research carried out over the past year at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (www.rjah.nhs.uk). A summary of the Accounts of the Orthopaedic Institute has been provided at the end of the Report. A full set of Finance Accounts is available upon request, please contact enquiries@orthopaedic-institute.org