British Association of Paediatric Surgeons

The British Association of Paediatric Surgeons (BAPS) is a registered charity that aims to advance the study and practice of paediatric surgery.

The organisation was founded in the UK 1953 and included oversees members.^[1] The idea for the group came up when a group of four British surgeons - Denis Browne, Robert Zachary, David Waterston and Peter Rickham - attended a meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics the year before. At the time, there were only a few dozen known paediatric surgeons across the world, so they were all invited to join BAPS.^[2] Its first meeting was held in 1954.^[3]

Aims of the Society have been listed as to the advance the study, practice, and research in child surgery, to promote the teaching of surgery in children, both under-graduate and post-graduate, and advise on the training of paediatric surgeons, advice on matters concerning the children surgical services in the British Isles, and to the promote friendship with overseas paediatric surgeons.^[3]

• Denis Browne (surgeon), Great Ormond Street Hospital in London
• Valentine Swain, Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children in Hackney.
• JJ Mason Browne, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow
• Wallace Denison, RHSC, Glasgow
• Isabella Forshall, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool
• Peter Paul Rickham, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool
• Robert Zachary, Sheffield
• Ambrose Jolleys, Manchester
• John Scott, Newcastle
• David Waterston

BAPS is one of several national paediatric surgical organisations affiliated with the Journal of Pediatric Surgery.^[4] The organisation awards the Denis Browne Gold Medal to recognize outstanding achievement in the field.^[5] The award is named for Sir Denis Browne, the first president of the association. The first award, given in 1968, went to surgeon Robert Edward Gross.^[6]