Website: About Us (bapo.com)
What do Prosthetists and Orthotists do?
Prosthetists are autonomous registered practitioners who provide gait analysis and engineering solutions to patients with limb loss. They also design and provide prostheses that replicate the structural or functional characteristics of the patient’s absent limb. Prosthetists treat patients with congenital loss as well as loss due to diabetes, reduced vascularity, infection and trauma. Military personnel are forming an increasing part of their caseload.
Orthotists are autonomous registered practitioners who provide gait analysis and engineering solutions to patients with problems of the neuro, muscular and skeletal systems. They design and provide orthoses that modify the structural or functional characteristics of the patient’s neuro-muscular and skeletal systems enabling patients to mobilise, eliminate gait deviations, reduce falls, reduce pain, prevent and facilitate healing of ulcers. Orthotists treat patients with a wide range of conditions including diabetes, arthritis, cerebral palsy, stroke, spina bifida, scoliosis, MSK, sports injuries and trauma.
Where do Prosthetists and Orthotists work?
- Prosthetists and orthotists work in a range of settings including:
- Health centres
- Client's homes
- NHS hospital
- Private hospital
How to become a Prosthetist or Orthoptist?
Work experience
If you are interested in a career as a Prosthetist/orthotist and want to try some work experience you can contact your local NHS Trust, voluntary or private organisations and they may be able to facilitate experience for you.
University route
University courses to study to become a Prosthetist/Orthotist are either:
- Undergraduate- takes around 3 years full time to complete depending on the university chosen
- Masters- takes around 2 years full time to complete
You can find a full list of universities offering Prosthetist/Orthotists courses here: Approved programmes results | (hcpc-uk.org)
Apprenticeship route
The apprenticeship route has begun to launch a Prosthetist/Orthotist apprenticeship in which apprentices can work and study at the same time.
You can find out more about Prosthetist/Orthotist apprenticeships here: Careers (bapo.com)
How to become a Prosthetist/Orthotist Assistant/Support Worker?
Prosthetist/Orthotist assistants/support workers positions are advertised locally through recruiting organisations-you will need to look at your local organisations vacancies in order to become an assistant/support worker, you could call them or look at their website.
You can find out more about Prosthetist/Orthotists support worker here Prosthetic technician | Health Careers
