Organising Committee
Andy Moores
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.
Mark Bush
Past Chair
I qualified from Cambridge University in 1999 and later undertook a surgical residency training program in small animal orthopaedics at the University of Bristol and Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists. I hold the RCVS diploma in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) and I am a RCVS Recognised Specialist in small animal orthopaedics. I worked for many years in two large and busy referral hospitals before establishing a referral practice close to Cambridge.
I have a number of professional interests within orthopaedics, but my principal concern during my time on the BVOA committee is addressing the relatively small number of female vets interested in the discipline of small animal orthopaedics.
Ian Simpson
Vice Chair
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!!
James Guthrie
Education Secretary (joint)
I joined the BVOA as a new graduate and was very grateful for the opportunity to present one of my first research projects as an abstract at the spring meeting of 2011. As well as providing delegates with useful and up-to-date CPD; and the chance to network with other clinicians and companies, the BVOA meetings have the ability to have a significant impact on people’s careers, and I would love to help contribute to this.
I have experience of working in general practice, with those just starting their interest in orthopaedics; as well as working alongside certificate holders (I completed my RCVS surgery certificate in general practice), and I now work as a specialist at Fitzpatrick Referrals. Subsequently, I feel I can relate to many of the members of BVOA; incorporating the broad spectrum of their needs into constructing the educational meetings.
Jan Janovec
Education Secretary (joint)
MVDr DipECVS MRCVS
Senior Surgeon, Fitzpatrick Referrals
RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
EBVS® European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Jan graduated with honours from the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno (Czech Republic) in 2008. He underwent his specialist training at Fitzpatrick Referrals and became an ECVS and RCVS specialist in 2018. Since then, he worked as a referral surgeon at several veterinary specialist hospitals, before returning to Fitzpatrick Referrals in December 2021.
Jan enjoys all aspects of small animal orthopaedics with a special interest in fracture management, joint replacement, and revision surgery. Apart from his clinical work, Jan is involved in clinical research and training of future veterinary specialists.
Gareth Harries
Treasurer
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).
Contact Gareth at treasurer@bvoa.co.uk
Duncan Barnes
Junior 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.
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