Morven McAlinden

I graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 1996 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Prosthetics and Orthotics. My first job was as a graduate prosthetist with Blatchford in Newcastle where I had the opportunity to work alongside some great mentors in both upper and lower limb prosthetics. After a couple of years, I then transferred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, North London. Again, working alongside an experienced team of clinicians I further developed my knowledge and skills in prosthetics, and left my role within Steeper to join the Ottobock Academy in 2022. For many of those years I supported students, new graduates, and other members of the multidisciplinary team, to continue to learn about prosthetics and best practice to enhance the service provided. However, one of my greatest passions has always been the field of paediatric prosthetics and I have been lucky enough to work with many young people and their families over the years. This has allowed me the opportunity to present internationally about my experiences working within a multidisciplinary team, most notably at ISPO World Congress, alongside surgeons and other clinicians. I have also presented extensively on my experience of osseointegration and upper limb.

The field of upper limb prosthetics is also something which I am particularly interested in and it gives me great pleasure to be able to chair the ISPO UK Special Interest Group for Upper Limb Prosthetics alongside carrying out my role within the Ottobock Academy. Over the last 25+ years within the industry I have seen many changes in clinical practice and amazing developments in technology. The NHS England policy for the provision of multi grip hands is another opportunity for users to be able to access this advanced technology through their NHS clinic, and it has certainly been a long time coming. Upper limb provision in the UK has changed over the years and I feel there has been less of a focus on it more recently. So, it is a welcome development to be able to offer Bebionic, Michelangelo and MyoPlus to all patients who are eligible.

Joining the Ottobock Academy has been a fantastic opportunity to continue my journey in the field of prosthetics and to be able to support the talented clinicians we have out in the clinics across the UK – whether they are working in an NHS or private clinical environment.