New state-of-the-art facilities have been opened on campus to help students on a pioneering new course in Keele University’s School of Allied Health Professions.

Developed in partnership with The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, the programme launched in January 2022. It is one of only three dedicated pre-registration courses on offer in the UK and will help to address an internationally recognised skills gap in healthcare.

Students on the course can now take advantage of a brand new dedicated workshop on campus, designed in collaboration with world-leading prosthetics and orthotics company, Ottobock, that features cutting-edge prosthetics and orthotics equipment and assessment spaces.

The new facilities, including a plaster workshop and machine room and a patient assessment suite, will enable students to assess patients and refine their clinical skills with demonstrator patients.

The students also have access to a movement analysis laboratory, a faculty-wide resource which has great potential to be used for both teaching and research activities.

Equipped with a Vicon camera system, the specialist force plates detect and measure movement with great precision. This facility will complement practice training and enable a growth in SAHP’s movement analysis research activities.

Mark McAloon, Programme Director for Prosthetics and Orthotics said: “The event to launch the programme attracted prosthetics and orthotics professionals from across the UK and many colleagues from across the University. Thank you to the many individuals who have contributed to the creation of the programme. A special thanks from the team to Anne O'Brien whose dedication for the creation of the programme and the new facilities has been inspirational.”

Anne O’ Brien, Head of the School of Allied Health Professions at Keele added: “It has been a privilege to work with so many colleagues across the University and the prosthetics and orthotics sector to develop this programme. I look forward to our prosthetics and orthotics academic team and future graduates leading future innovations in practice and research. We have an exciting future ahead!”