British Society for Surgery of the Hand


The British Society for Surgery of the Hand exists to "promote and direct the development of Hand Surgery, to foster and co-ordinate education, study and research in Hand Surgery, and to disseminate knowledge of Hand Surgery among members of the medical and allied health professions."
The ethos the society is to promote harmony between orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, which derives from its origins immediately after the Second World War during which new methods of treatment of wounded airmen were developed by surgeons such as Patrick Clarkson.

History

The society was formed as the Second Hand Club in 1956 at the instigation of Graham Stack after the original Hand Club, formed by plastic surgeon Patrick Clarkson in 1952, refused to admit younger surgeons.
In the late 1960s it became the British Club for Surgery of the Hand and in 1968 adopted its current name and a formal constitution. The first president was Guy Pulvertaft. Other notable surgeons to participate were Rainsford Mowlem, J. I. P. James, and John Barron.
The society became a registered charity in 1975.

Activities

The society is recognised as an institution that provides education and training in its field: