NICRN T&O CRN Anie Philip and BHSCT WHiTE FRUITI team wins Rising Star Award at OTS Conference in London

June 16, 2026

Members of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Trauma & Orthopaedics Research Group recently attended the Orthopaedic Trauma Society (OTS) Annual Conference at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. The Trust was represented by Mr Owen Diamond (Principal Investigator for the FRUITI trial), Mr David Spence, Dr Janet Hill (Research Manager), Nicola Gallagher (Research Administrator), and Anie Philip (Clinical Research Nurse, Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network). The conference brought together trauma and orthopaedic professionals from across the UK, providing an excellent opportunity to share research developments, highlight innovation, and strengthen collaborative links within the trauma research community.

The conference was a great success, with the Belfast team gaining national recognition through the Rising Star Award—an important milestone that highlights the Trust’s growing reputation in orthopaedic research. This achievement reinforces the value of collaboration between clinical teams and NICRN and demonstrates the impact of embedding research within routine clinical practice. FRUITI study was opened in Belfast in December 2025 as part of the University of Oxford–led WHiTE platform. The trial compares internal fixation with hip replacement to improve outcomes for hip fracture patients and is led locally by Mr Owen Diamond, supported by Mr Paul Kariyiannis, Mr Adam Tucker, trainees Alok Vinayakumar, Niall Fitzpatrick, Ciaran Doherty, and Ryan Moffat, and Anie Philip (NICRN).

Looking ahead, the team aims to continue building on this success by increasing recruitment, expanding participation in national studies, and contributing further to the WHiTE platform and future trauma research initiatives.

Special thanks to the entire RVH FRUITI team, NICRN, TORC and all clinical and research staff involved in study delivery. Particular recognition to the Belfast delegation for representing the Trust, and to the wider multidisciplinary team whose collaborative effort made this achievement possible.