Organising Committee
Ian Simpson
Chair
BVSc certSAO MRCVS
RCVS Recognised Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Orthopaedics
I qualified in Pretoria, South Africa, before the dawn of time and started my orthopaedic experience almost straight after qualifying. I moved to the UK in 1990 and underwent training and obtained the Certificate in Orthopaedics in 1992, examined by the late great Lesley Vaughan amongst others. I have since then owned or been partners in three practice groups, doing GP and referral work alongside until joining Lumbry Park Vet Specialists in 2017 and have not touched an anal gland since! I have also worked at Davies and Anderson-Abercromby, but spend most of my professional time doing peripatetic orthopaedics and neurosurgery. I have a particular love for seeing paralysed patients “pick up their bed and walk” post-surgery, and also enjoy the new 3D-printed guides we get to correct limb deformities etc these days. Although the French Bulldog is not my favourite breed, I give daily thanks for its’ amazing capability to support so many referral ortho- and neuro surgeons and their families in the UK.
I was previously treasurer of the BVOA for a number of years, and am now happy to put my name forward for Junior chair. I am a keen golfer, mountain biker, and skier, though find that more and more things hurt these days. Ho hum… we march on!!
Andy Moores
Senior Chair
BVSc DSAS(Orth) DipECVS FRCVS
RCVS & EBVS® European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Like many of us I suspect, I’ve had a love of orthopaedics since my undergraduate days at Bristol. I was lucky to go into general practice at a time when most surgical cases were still managed ‘in-house’ and so I was able to gain a lot of orthopaedic experience as a GP vet. At that time the BVOA meetings were probably my primary source of orthopaedic CPD and they were highly valued on my route to the CertSAS, and after that to RCVS and European Diplomas. I have been a member of the BVOA for over 25 years and I have a huge amount of affection for the Association. I sat on the committee as Chair of the Education Committee from 2006-2009 and I started the BVOA discussion forum at that time, which continues to be used by members today. I re-joined the committee in 2022 as Junior Vice-Chair.
I have worked in GP practice, academic specialist practice (University of Bristol and Royal Veterinary College), independent and corporate specialist practice and as a surgical locum. Currently I am Clinical Director at The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic, an independent specialist orthopaedic clinic near Basingstoke in Hampshire which we opened May 2023. I hope my diverse experience is valuable in serving and representing our members from across the UK small animal orthopaedic community.
Martin Owen
Junior Vice Chair
BVSc BSc PhD DSAS (Orth) DipECVS MRCVS
RCVS and EBVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
At the age of seven, I wanted to be a dairy farmer like my grandad and uncle. My dad was an electrical fitter, not a farmer. So, unlikely to inherit the family farm (I thought my cousin would), at the age 11, I decided I wanted to be a dairy cattle vet like my other uncles. Meanwhile, my dad was excellent at fixing stuff and I learnt a fair bit about repair work and basic mechanics. At Liverpool veterinary school, for a couple of years, I attempted to dismantle and rebuild a Kawazaki GPZ550. It came apart better than it reassembled. Aged 23, when I realised I was no better than average at cattle, I realised I could combine my interest in repairing things with my veterinary education by pursuing a career in small animal orthopaedics. I joined the BVOA in 1994, because it was interesting and to show I was interested in orthopaedics.
Andy Craig
Education Secretary (joint)
BVSc PGCert(SAS) DipECVS MRCVS
RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Andy Craig graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2009 and began his career in mixed practice across the Midlands and Ireland before moving into small animal first opinion work. He completed a BSAVA PGCert in Small Animal Surgery in 2014, which sparked a growing interest in orthopaedics and led to a one-year internship and residency at Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists. He became a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery in 2019 and stayed at SCVS for several more years before joining NDSR.
His clinical interests include minimally invasive fracture repair, total hip replacement and spinal surgery. Over the last few years, Andy has helped establish a regular total hip replacement service in Northern Ireland.
Andy has benefited from the BVOA’s educational programme throughout his career. As Education Secretary, alongside Gareth Harries, he is committed to delivering high-quality educational events and CPD opportunities that support and inspire BVOA members at every stage of their careers.
Outside of work, Andy is one of the many orthopaedic surgeons to have caught the triathlon bug and can often be found training for his next event.
Gareth Harries
Education Secretary (joint)
BVMS CertSAS MRCVS
RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery
Gareth qualified from Glasgow in 1995 and then worked in a traditional mixed practice in Staffordshire before realising that horses and cows weren’t for him. Never intending to become a surgeon, let alone develop an interest in orthopaedics, he moved to the PDSA working in clinics in the Midlands, Newcastle uponTyne and then North London. He moved to Goddard’s Wanstead Hospital before returning to Staffordshire & Cheshire. He completed his certificate in 2005 and became a partner in a large mixed practice in Cheshire. In 2014 he moved on to become a peripatetic surgeon. Away from work, like the rest of the population, he enjoys walking his terrier and 2 Vizslas (and drinking too much).
Duncan Barnes
Treasurer
Ma VetMB certSAS DSAS(O) MRCVS
I graduated in 2001 from Cambridge Vet School. After 10 years in small animal general practice I started to study for the RCVS diploma in small animal surgery (orthopaedics). I did this via the alternative pathway splitting my time between Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals, under the supervision of Angus Anderson, and my day job at Eastcott Veterinary Referrals in Swindon, where I still work as Lead Orthopaedic Surgeon. I have been a BVOA member for 15 years and have enjoyed both the opportunity to catch up with friends and get an update on all things orthopaedics. I enjoy all aspects of small animal orthopaedics but have a particular interest in humeral condylar fracture, feline pelvic fracture and total joint replacement. When I am not working, I enjoy swimming, cycling and running – sometimes in quick succession. My newest hobby is co-hosting the BVOA podcast as wingman to Simon Ratcliffe, our member at large.
Contact Duncan at treasurer@bvoa.co.uk
Alex Belch
Scientific Secretary
BVMS MSc CertAVP (GSAS) DipECVS MRCVS
Alex graduated from Glasgow Vet School in 2006 and became an EBVS European Specialist surgeon in 2018 and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in 2019. He currently works in the orthopaedic team at Langford Vets where he has been for the last 4 years. Alex was previously BVOA secretary and has now stayed on the committee as Scientific Secretary. It is an organisation he has enjoyed attending regularly over the last 10 years. He hopes he can help BVOA continue to create fantastic meetings where we can share ideas in a friendly, welcoming environment.
Kate O’Sullivan
Secretary
MVB MSc CertSAS MRCVS
I am a Dublin graduate, of 1988 vintage. After working for a few years overseas, I have been in mixed practice in Wales ever since, completing my surgical certificate in 2004. I am a director of an independent, mixed practice in Aberystwyth and I also run Mill Referrals, a surgical referral service, within our practice, allowing me to dodge carvings in the middle of the night on the pretext of not wanting afterbirth under my nails…Collies are a big part of my caseload! When I started going to BVOA meetings I hardly knew a soul, and it has been such a welcoming environment and offered such great learning, I kept coming back. I am an advocate for women accessing all aspects of the profession, and orthopaedics is definitely getting there. I run to unwind, in hills with my whippets, and like cycling/MTB when time from family and work allows.
Contact Kate on kateyfet@yandex.com
Simon Ratcliffe
Member at Large
BVSc certAVP(GSAS) MRCVS
RCVS recognised Advanced Practitioner in General Small Animal Surgery
Simon graduated from Liverpool in 2005. He worked in mixed practice in North Wales in two large practices doing a lot of surgery before moving down to Berkshire in 2014 to buy a small ‘one man band’ practice with wife Camilla. He passed his certificate and gained AP status in the same year and has steadily grown the practice and caseload ever since.
Simon became MaL in 2025 and is charged with updating the website and social media, writing BVOA newsletters and updates for VCOT. Simon launched the BVOA podcast in September 2025 with fellow committee member Duncan Barnes.
Contact Simon on memberatlarge@bvoa.co.uk
Rachel Jermyn
Adminstrator
Rachel is the backbone of the BVOA- she works incredibly hard to coordinate membership and organise both the spring meeting and autumn conference. Rachel deals with all of the general BVOA admin ontop of her busy job within the management team of a small animal practice in Devon. Please be nice to Rachel and try to pay your membership and course registration fees promptly- thank you!
Contact Rachel on admin@bvoa.co.uk