Adam Way, Sam Kazzaz and Mark Thomas attended Britspine for 3 days in Leeds. It was a national conference for spinal surgeons from across the British Isles, with some guest speakers from Hong Kong and the US. It was mainly centred around reviewing research and experience from different units around the country. It also concentrated on the changing political landscape of reduced NHS funding, reviewing NICE guidelines on the management of back pain, lectures from specialists who represent the spinal community with the Department of Health and further reinforcement of our requirement to add patients onto the British Spinal Registry, a national registry that reviews our practice and patients responses to different operations.

There were also implant companies present, who showed the latest technologies from across the World, to ensure we maintain our knowledge of current and emerging implants, operating beds, x-ray machines etc. We then take these ideas back to our trusts to discuss if they would further benefit our patients.