Professor Mark Wilkinson

Biography

Background Mark Wilkinson is Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Sheffield and Honorary Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Prof Wilkinson qualified and trained in Sheffield. He undertook a PhD in the science of hip replacement at the University of Sheffield, which he completed in 2001. Mark received his specialist training in the treatment of hip and knee problems in Sheffield and at the Wrightington Hospital (where modern hip replacement surgery was first developed). Mark also underwent specialist fellowship training in hip and knee replacement surgery in Canada, Switzerland, and Japan. Special interests Prof Wilkinson is dedicated to the care of patients who suffer from wear and tear in their joint. He is a world leading expert in the treatment of pain in the knee and pain in the hip, including cartilage damage and arthritis. Prof Wilkinson’s knee and hip replacement results (whether further operations become needed) are in the best few percent of all surgeons in the country, as measured independently by the National Joint Registry. His patient reported outcomes, which show outcomes that matter to patients, are in the best 1 percent of all surgeons in the country. You can see this information in more detail here. Teaching and training Prof Wilkinson gives regular talks to patient, physio and GP groups on hip and knee pain and its treatment. He is an international expert in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis and one of only 100 members globally of the International Hip Society, comprising the world leaders in our field. He is the orthopaedic surgeon specialist representative on the UK NICE Osteoarthritis guideline committee that decides what treatments for osteoarthritis should be offered by doctors in the UK. Professor Wilkinson is also a leading international authority in the science of understanding how and why patients get arthritis and in developing new treatments, including stem cell therapies, to combat the disease. Click here for more details. Prof Wilkinson developed the patient decision tool for joint replacement that allows patients to understand what are the risks and benefits of joint replacement, how much better they might expect to be after a joint replacement. This interactive tool was developed in Sheffield with the help of patients and is freely available on the internet. Click here to access the tool. It has now been used tens of thousands of times in over 110 countries. Research and publications Prof Wilkinson is the Chair of the Research Committee of the National Joint Registry, chair of Trustees for the British Orthopaedic Research Society, a registered charity, and is a Past President of the society. His research focuses on why people get arthritis and how best to treat it. His research interests include what differences between patients and their choices affect their outcomes after joint replacement. Prof Wilkinson has received over £12 million in collaborative scientific grant funding and published 8 book chapters and over 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications on arthritis and its treatment. He and his students have received many international awards, including the British Orthopaedic Association Robert Jones Gold Medal and Association Prize, Fellowship of the International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies and the Orthopaedic Research Society, The American Hip Society Otto Aufranc Award, The American Orthopaedic Research Society William Harris Award (twice), The British Hip Society McKee Prize (twice), National Osteoporosis Society and American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.