The group was formed over thirty years ago by Professor Glanville and  Mr John Barron FRCS, who also started the Odstock Plastic Surgery unit in Salisbury 1949. The meeting has always had a multi-disciplinary focus in its teaching, encouraging the exchange of ideas between plastic and orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists, rehabilitation specialists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

The group meets twice a year for half or whole day programmes – moving the venue around different locations within Wessex. The joint surgeon and therapist meeting is normally held in the spring and is an excellent opportunity for gaining knowledge and networking with local surgeons and therapists.

There is a second therapy only meeting hosted by Salisbury District Hospital each Autumn. This meeting may address a clinical theme or seek presentations from across it’s members. There is also the opportunity for any of the hand therapy teams across the region to host and/or run the therapy meeting –we are always open to offers of help!

There is no formal membership to the group and The Wessex Hand Club has been advertised in a casual manner – generally by word of mouth and e-mail. The Club has no membership fee and is open to non-BAHT therapists. There is a database of the therapy members which is used to electronically circulate any relevant hand therapy information e.g. courses.

If you would like your details added to the database for the hand therapists linked to The Wessex Hand Club, we will ensure that your personal and professional information remains secure in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, and will not pass on your information to a third party without your prior consent. If you would like your details kept on this database, please email me the following information, your:

•             Name and title

•             Work address

•             Telephone number

•             Email address

•             Profession

•             BAHT number (if member)

I shall look forward to hearing from you.

Meg Robson

Clinical Specialist Hand Therapist, Salisbury District Hospital