The ceremony took place at the Doncaster Dome, hosted by Heart Radio DJ, David ‘Dixie’ Dixon, to celebrate the hard work and commendable dedication of healthcare heroes throughout the past 12 months. Attendees heard the inspiring stories of all thirteen winners, as well as nominees, including the incredible work of Mr Arora with advancing research goals at the Trust.
The Teaching Hospital Award was a new accolade at this year’s event and is a special award for individuals who support learners, drive research and care about growing the next generation of healthcare workers.
Mr Abhishek Arora, a Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon within the Trust, first joined DBTH in 2009. As a Principal Investigator in Orthopaedics, Mr Arora has played a pivotal role in the successful implementation of various research initiatives and studies, enriching the knowledge and understanding of musculo-skeletal conditions nationally.
A standout achievement for Mr Arora includes his instrumental role in delivering the FRUITI (Fix or Replace Undisplaced Intracapsular fractures Trial of Interventions) study at DBTH, in collaboration with the Oxford Clinical Trials Unit. The FRUITI study was developed by the Oxford Trauma Team based at the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences with the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit leading this multi-centre randomised control clinical trial. With approximately 70,000 hip fractures treated annually in the NHS, the study addresses treatment disparities, and DBTH, caring for 600 cases per year, was a pivotal site for this crucial research.
His exceptional work in supporting this research has positioned DBTH as the second highest recruiting site for the FRUITI study in the UK, out of 40 sites nationally.
To aid research activity within Orthopaedic Surgery, Mr Arora also established a social network group comprising of fellow principal investigators, doctors, and research colleagues to foster open communication and collaboration that aligns with the Trust’s ambitions outlined in the recently launched DBTH Research and Innovation Strategy. Always enthusiastic to support his colleagues, Mr Arora is commended for dedicating his time to discuss research endeavours, providing guidance with diagnostics, eligibility criteria, and randomisation, and ultimately helping to foster a cohesive and well-informed research team for studies.
Recently, Mr Arora was awarded national recognition as an Associate Principal Investigator for contributions to musculo–skeletal research by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Presented at the 11th NIHR Orthopaedic Trauma Society Musculoskeletal Trauma Trials Annual conference in Edinburgh, he was congratulated for his ambition and continuous innovative advancements in orthopaedic practices.
Those who work with him all remark that his dedication to research is unmatched, often visiting the research office on his days off, ensuring no recruiting opportunity is missed and showcasing his remarkable commitment to the success of studies.
Dr Jane Fearnside, Head of Research at DBTH and Honorary Professor at Sheffield Hallam University, said “Many congratulations to Mr Arora for this well-deserved recognition. You are a true driving force in research success at DBTH and this award is a testament to all your hard work. Thank you for all that you do, your passion to advancing the field of orthopaedics has been truly inspiring.”