We have a wide range of speakers for this year's conference drawn from within the profession as well as other healthcare professions. Speakers are listed in alphabetical order by surname.
Joanne Paton
Associate Professor in Podiatry, University of Plymouth
Joanne Paton
Associate Professor in Podiatry, University of Plymouth
Dr Paton has extensive clinical experience as a Musculoskeletal Specialist and Diabetes Specialist Podiatrist. Her current clinical focus is improving the patient experience through the better delivery of insoles for diabetic foot protection.
Dr Paton is the MSc Apprenticeship Podiatry Programme lead and is a past NIHR research fellow and clinical academic. She now leads the BEUP (Balance Enhancement and Ulcer Prevention) research group at University of Plymouth. Joanne is well known for her work on ulcer prevention in diabetes. One area of particular interest to understand behaviour, to improve foot self-care for diabetic foot ulcer prevention.
Julian Pavier
Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Julian Pavier
Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Julian has been a consultant podiatric surgeon since 2002 during which time he has served on the Faculty board for seven years and acted as Vice-Dean.
He was Dean of the Northern Deanery and has been a tutor and examiner for the College of Podiatry successfully tutoring three trainees through to fellowship. Julian currently sits on the examinations board of College of Podiatry.
He lectures on the MSc in theory of Podiatric Surgery at Huddersfield and Glasgow Caledonian Universities.
Julian Peace
General Practitioner, Valley Medical Centre, Stocksbridge
Julian Peace
General Practitioner, Valley Medical Centre, Stocksbridge
Dr Julian Peace has always had an interest in dermatology which has led him to his current, portfolio career.
He graduated in 1990 from the University of Sheffield and, despite good transport links to other parts of the country, still works in South Yorkshire.
He has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Primary Care Dermatology Society since 2006, he is now Chair Elect.
Dr Simon Petrides
Medical Director and Founder Blackberry Clinic Group, Blackberry Clinic Group
Dr Simon Petrides
Medical Director and Founder Blackberry Clinic Group, Blackberry Clinic Group
Dr Petrides qualified in medicine at Guy's Hospital and then obtained postgraduate qualifications in Musculoskeletal Medicine, Sports Medicine and Osteopathy. He is the founding Medical Director of the Blackberry Clinic Group with 11 centres in the UK. Simon works from the Milton Keynes Clinic. The Clinic specialises in providing Musculoskeletal, Sports Medicine and Interventional Pain services to the NHS and the private sector.
Simon was Vice President of the British Institute of Musculoskeletal Medicine (BIMM), and was a lead tutor on the Musculoskeletal 'Roadshow' programme run by BIMM, educating GPs nationally. Simon was appointed as Medical Officer to the London Olympic Games 2012.
He taught on the modular Diploma course in Musculoskeletal Medicine and was an Examiner on the Diploma examination. Other posts held by Simon include Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Medicine at Queen Mary University of London, Institute of Health Sciences, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He is also a Vice Patron of the British School of Osteopathy.
Simon specialises in diagnosis and treatment of all types of back, neck and limb joint pain. He has a particular interest in sports injuries and interventional treatment of back pain, treating patients from all walks of life, including elite athletes. He regularly assesses and treats Olympic level international rowers and internationally capped Premiership footballers who have failed to progress with conventional injury treatment. He specialises in the use of X-ray and ultrasound guided spinal injections to diagnose and treat back and neck pain.
Simon has become renowned for his use of prolotherapy/sclerosant injections in the treatment of troublesome back and limb pain that has become resistant to all other treatments. He also specialises in the use of radiofrequency neurolysis to treat arthritic and painful facet joints in the spine.
Graham Pirie
Employment Relations Officer, Royal College of Podiatry
Graham Pirie
Employment Relations Officer, Royal College of Podiatry
Graham qualified as a Podiatrist in 1984 and has worked mainly in the NHS with some private practice experience.
He was elected as the local Trade Union representative in Glasgow in 1991 and has been employed by the College since 2001. He currently covers Scotland and the North West of England.
He was chairman of the Glasgow Branch for 20 years and has been on the College’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing panel for the last 13 years.
Bharti Rajput
Bharti Rajput
Bharti Rajput
Professor Anthony Redmond
Professor of Clinical Biomechanics ,University of Leeds
Professor Anthony Redmond
Professor of Clinical Biomechanics, University of Leeds
Anthony Redmond is Professor and Head of the Section of Clinical Biomechanics and Physical Medicine at the Leeds University Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine.
A podiatrist, he is also an active clinical researcher with funding from the NIHR, the EU, EPSRC, charities and industry of more than £15million, about £7.5m of which is directly applied to foot and ankle research. He has published more than 120 peer-reviewed articles and more than a dozen book chapters. Anthony coordinates a team of 22 staff and more than 40 collaborators across rheumatology, orthopaedics, radiology and bioengineering.
Professor Jonathan Rees
Emeritus Professor of Dermatology, University of Edinburgh
Professor Jonathan Rees
Emeritus Professor of Dermatology, University of Edinburgh
Jonathan Rees graduated in medicine from the University of Newcastle. He trained in dermatology in Newcastle and Vienna with Professors Sam Shuster and Klaus Wolff. He held an MRC Clinician Scientist post in Newcastle and Strasbourg before being appointed to the Chair of Dermatology in Newcastle in 1992; he took up the Grant Chair of Dermatology in Edinburgh in 2000.
He has spent most of his career working on skin cancer biology and diagnosis.
He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a past president of the European Society for Dermatological Research.
Dr Sharon Rees
Associate Professor in Therapeutics and Prescribing, London South Bank University
Dr Sharon Rees
Associate Professor in Therapeutics and Prescribing, London South Bank University
Dr Rees is an Associate Professor in Therapeutics and Prescribing at London South Bank University. Her teaching focus is the therapeutics of cardiovascular drugs, as well as musculoskeletal, antimicrobial and diabetes drugs.
An experienced clinician and teacher in prescribing practice and medical education, Dr Rees takes an applied approach, enabling clinicians to gain insight into the rationales underpinning their prescribing decisions.
Dr Rees composes monthly drug ‘tweetorials’, which are published together with prescribing CPD, in the Journal of Prescribing Practice.
As part of her academic role, she is on the Editorial Board of Pharmaceutical Frontiers, the Journal of Prescribing practice and is a regular reviewer for the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy.
Professor Neil Reeves
Professor of Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Faculty Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange, Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor Neil Reeves
Professor of Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Faculty Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange, Manchester Metropolitan University
Neil Reeves is Professor of Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Faculty Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange at Manchester Metropolitan University. His research addresses underlying mechanisms causing gait impairment and unsteadiness in people with diabetes and involves testing the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, including exercise training and medical devices. His research has investigated strategies for the prevention of diabetic foot ulcers, and he has developed and tested novel technologies for people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
He has published over 120 papers and has led externally funded research projects supported by a range of European and UK funding bodies.
Mr Ian Reilly
Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Danetre Hospital
Mr Ian Reilly
Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Danetre Hospital
Mr Reilly has been qualified as a Podiatric Surgeon since 1996 and has performed over 10,000 surgical procedures. He has a particular interest in soft tissue and nail surgery and has lectured internationally on plastic surgical procedures of the foot, bunion surgery and steroid injection therapy. Podiatric Surgery is well established in Northamptonshire and Mr Reilly leads the service for the local NHS Trust.
Prior to this he was a Senior Lecturer at Northampton School of Podiatry. He is co-author of Foot and Ankle Injection Techniques: A Practical Guide and has written chapters in Merrimen’s Assessment of the Lower Limb and Brown's Skin and Minor Surgery.
He is an invited speaker and international adviser for the US-based International Foot and Ankle Foundation.
Professor Jim Richards
Faculty Director of Research & Innovation for Allied Health, Wellbeing and Research Lead for the Allied Health Research Unit, University of Central Lancashire
Professor Jim Richards
Faculty Director of Research & Innovation for Allied Health, Wellbeing and Research Lead for the Allied Health Research Unit, University of Central Lancashire
Professor Richards' research includes the clinical application of biomechanics, and the development of new assessment tools for neurological conditions, and the conservative and surgical management for orthopaedic conditions.
Professor Richards has authored over 180 peer reviewed journal papers and written and edited a number of textbooks including Biomechanics in Clinic and Research, the 5th edition of Whittle’s Gait Analysis and the Comprehensive Textbook of Clinical Biomechanics.
He has also contributed to Tidy’s Physiotherapy, the 10th edition of Mercer's Textbook of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Patellofemoral Pain: A Clinical Guide, and the Guide to Sports Physiology and Injury.
Professor Edward Roddy
Professor of Rheumatology and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist, Keele University
Professor Edward Roddy
Professor of Rheumatology and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist, Keele University
Edward Roddy is Professor of Rheumatology at Keele University and a Consultant Rheumatologist at the Haywood Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent, part of the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
He trained in general medicine and rheumatology in the East Midlands and Western Australia. His clinical and research interests include common musculoskeletal foot problems such as osteoarthritis, plantar heel pain, hallux valgus and gout.
He leads epidemiological studies and clinical trials in primary care.
He is co-convenor of the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) Foot and Ankle Special Interest Group and chair of the BSR Foot Health in Inflammatory Arthritis guideline working group.
Professor Mike Saks
Emeritus Professor, University of Suffolk
Professor Mike Saks
Emeritus Professor, University of Suffolk
Mike Saks BA, MA, PhD, FIKE, FIoD, FRCCM, FRSA is Emeritus Professor at the University of Suffolk and Visiting Professor at the University of Lincoln, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, University of Westminster, and University of Toronto.
He has been on the Executive/Board of six universities (including as CEO) and published some two dozen books on health and professions.
He has chaired many health committees and advised governments and professional bodies in the health field.
He is currently Chair of the UN-sponsored Institute of Responsible Leadership and a member of the WHO Technical Expert Group on global health practitioner regulation.
Michelle Tennyson
Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland
Michelle Tennyson
Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland
Michelle Tennyson is the lead AHP in the Public Health Agency with responsibility also for implementing Public Involvement and Patient Experience policy across Northern Ireland.
She has worked at a senior level in complex Health and Social Care Systems since 1996 specialising in strategic and professional leadership, governance, strategy implementation, Public Sector reform and modernisation and public involvement. She has a proven track record in driving innovate change and has been instrumental in building the AHP brand and culture in NI.
She has a BSc in Podiatric Medicine, a Masters in Public Administration and in 2018 was awarded a Churchill Fellowship.
Soloman Tesfaye
Soloman Tesfaye
Soloman Tesfaye
Joy Tickle
Tissue Viability Nurse Consultant, Isle of Wight NHS Trust
Joy Tickle
Tissue Viability Nurse Consultant, Isle of Wight NHS Trust
Joy Tickle is a Tissue Viability Nurse Consultant, a position she has held for over 28 years. She has implemented and lead an award-winning tissue viability service within Shropshire. She also has 37 years’ experience working within the NHS, in which she has engaged with different aspects of the discipline whilst retaining her passion and focus on patient wellbeing.
Currently Joy is supporting the Isle of Wight NHS Trust in implementing a community wide tissue viability service and the introduction of PCN wound clinics.
Joy is passionate about the training and development of the next generation of clinician’s and has been proud to help by sharing her knowledge through publications, lecturing and presenting, both nationally, internationally and online.
Dao Tunprasert
Senior Lecturer, University of Brighton
Dao Tunprasert
Senior Lecturer, University of Brighton
Thanaporn (Dao) Tunprasert is a Senior Lecturer in Podiatry and a Course Leader for MSc Advanced Podiatry at University of Brighton. She graduated with BSc (Hons) Podiatry in 2013 and MSc Biomechanics in 2014. She is currently studying part-time for a PhD on a topic of footwear assessment at University of Brighton.
Her other research interests are in gait analysis, orthotics/footwear biomechanics, musculoskeletal biomechanics, and neuromuscular controls of the body.
Rebecca Tyrrell
Regional Head of Allied Health Professions (AHPs), Health Education England South East
Rebecca Tyrrell
Regional Head of Allied Health Professions (AHPs), Health Education England South East
Rebecca worked as an NHS Podiatrist for over 20 years with a rewarding career spanning all four pillars of practice; leadership, education, clinical, quality improvement.
In 2014 Rebecca joined NHS England as quality improvement manager in primary care before joining Health Education England (HEE) in 2017 leading workforce transformation. During this time Rebecca worked closely with the College of Podiatry to lead the Podiatry workforce summit in London 2018 and supported the resulting National Podiatry workforce programme.
Since 2020 Rebecca has been the Regional Head of AHPs across the South East, working to ensure an effective supply of AHPs with the right skills in the right place to deliver high quality care.
Dr David Unwin
GP and RCGP National Champion for Collaborative Care and Support Planning in Obesity and Diabetes, College of Medicine, Southport
Dr David Unwin
GP and RCGP National Champion for Collaborative Care and Support Planning in Obesity and Diabetes. College of Medicine, Southport
Dr David Unwin FRCGP works at the Norwood NHS Surgery in Southport near Liverpool, UK where he has cared for the same population since 1986 as a family doctor. To date 101 of his patients with type 2 diabetes have achieved drug-free remission. This gives a remission rate of 50% at 30 months duration of a lower carb diet, one of the best results for any clinic in the world.
For the past few years, he has been a UK Royal College of General Practitioners expert clinical advisor on diabetes. As a result of his interests in both better communication with patients and type 2 diabetes he was made Royal College of General Practice National Champion for Collaborative Care and Support Planning in Obesity & Diabetes in 2015.
In 2016, he was the proud UK National winner of the NHS Innovator of the Year Award for published research into lifestyle changes; working with patients’ personal health goals as an alternative to drug therapy in type 2 diabetes –so that his GP practice spends £58,000 per year less than expected on drugs for diabetes. As part of this he has also published research into improving blood pressure, lipid profiles and liver function by reducing dietary carbohydrate, especially sugar. In 2019, he was shortlisted by NICE for a prize for his teaspoon of sugar infographics which have now been translated into fourteen languages.
Dr Unwin’s work has been covered by both BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5 television, The New Scientist, The Times, The Daily Mail and The British Medical Journal. Further recognition came recently when David was invited to become an ambassador for the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on diabetes. Then in July 2021 his most recently published paper won the paper of the year award from the International Academy of Nutrition Educators. As @lowcarbGP he has over 60,000 followers on Twitter.
Sheila Vg
Sheila Vg
Sheila Vg
Tom Watson
Tom Watson
Tom Watson
Dr Chin Whybrew
GP Partner, Stoke Road Surgery
Dr Chin Whybrew
GP Partner, Stoke Road Surgery
Chin Whybrew is a jobbing GP in Cheltenham, who has been teaching dermatology and dermoscopy from a primary care viewpoint for a decade. She is passionate about the importance of dermatology knowledge for the whole of the extended primary care team and is the dermoscopy lead for the primary care dermatology society executive committee.
She is a keen crafter and is as happy to talk about crochet or card making as anything medical!
Christine Wilcox-Baker
Lead Artist and Curator
Christine Wilcox-Baker
Lead Artist and Curator
Christine Wilcox-Baker MA is a professional artist, designer, and project manager. She has a very enquiring mind. Researching her subjects, learning new skills, and portraying her discoveries in a range of media to suit each piece of work, really drives her forward.
A key part of her work is storytelling, and she uses visual imagery to portray information in order to engage the viewer in different ways. Her Seven Thousand Feet project about diabetes both imparted health information in creative ways and gave new life to stories from her own interactions with patients, medical practitioners, and research scientists.
David Wylie
NMAHP Associate Director, NHS Education Scotland
David Wylie
NMAHP Associate Director, NHS Education Scotland
David is currently Associate AHP Director in NHS Education for Scotland. He was involved in NHS podiatry management for 27 years and is a Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine and Director of Professional Education within the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Glasgow).
He is an Honorary Fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University and has two post-graduate degrees, researching AHP culture and leadership. He has published on whole system service redesign.
A Leadership finalist at NHS Scotland’s 2016 Scottish Health Awards, David is a Glasgow Warriors season-ticket holder enjoying pub quizzes, single Islay malts and a fine red Rioja.
Ben Yates
Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon
Ben Yates
Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon
Ben has been a Consultant Podiatric Surgeon at the Great Western Hospital since 2003. He undertakes all aspects of foot and ankle surgery and has a special interest in the surgical management of the high-risk foot and limb salvage.
He has lectured at national and international conferences and co-authored a number of journal articles.
He is the regional chair for the central, Wales and international deanery and sits on the faculty board for podiatric surgery.