Description
The speaker, Om Lahoti, addresses an audience at a conference after a two-year hiatus due to restrictions. He expresses gratitude to Enis and his team for the event's organization and acknowledges the pleasant weather. Lahoti reflects on his two-year presidency from 2020, noting the challenges of working remotely and the growth of the British Limb Reconstruction Society (BLRS) in terms of membership and financial stability. He shares insights into the society's evolution from the Circle of Frame Users Group to a more inclusive Limb Reconstruction Group that recognizes the contributions of a diverse range of professionals within the field.
Lahoti highlights a successful initiative to conduct a survey assessing diversity and inclusion within BLRS, showcasing a positive response regarding its inclusivity. He discusses planned improvements, including increasing representation of allied health professionals in leadership roles, enhancing diversity among speakers at conferences, and encouraging junior involvement in the field. The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining engagement with members about their suggestions for improvement.
Lahoti addresses recent virtual events and the transition from in-person to online formats, detailing the impact of past conferences on global participation. He speaks about a recent consultation from NICE on limb lengthening procedures, stressing the need for comprehensive feedback from BLRS members and supporting the establishment of registries for data collection.
As he concludes, Lahoti introduces the BLRS Research Priorities Survey aimed at identifying the most urgent clinical questions for the community, urging attendance and responsiveness from members in further rounds of the survey. Overall, he emphasizes collaboration, inclusivity, and a forward-looking agenda to strengthen the society's operations and research initiatives.