A leading spinal surgeon at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has been elected as the next President of the British Association of Spine Surgeons (BASS), recognising his outstanding contribution to spinal surgery, education and research across the UK.
Kaushik Ghosh, Consultant Spinal Surgeon and Spinal Lead at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, was elected President-Elect by fellow members of the national association earlier this year and will formally take up the presidency at the organisation’s annual conference in 2027.
The appointment is one of the highest honours in UK spinal surgery and reflects the confidence and respect of colleagues from across the country.
Dr Ghosh said: “It is a real honour because it is your peers who elect you. You never know how people are going to vote, so to be chosen first as Secretary and now as President is something I am incredibly proud of.
“It brings a great deal of responsibility, but it is an opportunity to help shape spinal surgery nationally, working with colleagues across the UK and internationally.”
He has been a member of BASS for more than a decade and has previously served as Lead for the British Spine Registry before spending two years as the association’s Secretary.
The British Spine Registry collects outcome data from spinal procedures performed across the UK, helping clinicians monitor patient outcomes, improve standards of care and support research that informs future treatment. The registry also plays an important role in ensuring high-quality care and continuous improvement across spinal services.
As President, Dr Ghosh will lead the association’s Executive Committee, working closely with national and international organisations, the Department of Health and other specialist societies. He will also oversee the annual scientific conference, educational programmes for trainee surgeons and national policy work.
Among the current priorities for the association are developing national guidance for complex spinal surgery, identifying which highly specialised procedures should be concentrated in expert centres, and continuing to advance education and research.
He also highlighted the growing role of technology in spinal surgery. “There is a huge amount of innovation taking place,” he said. “Navigation systems and robotic-assisted surgery are becoming increasingly important and are helping us deliver even greater precision for patients.”
Dr Ghosh has worked at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals since 2005, returning as a substantive consultant in 2012 after a period working in Manchester. As Spinal Lead, he has helped develop Preston’s reputation as one of the country’s leading spinal centres.
He said: “Preston is recognised nationally as an excellent spinal hub. We’ve trained many consultants who now work across the UK and overseas, and we’re regarded as a very strong training centre because of the range and complexity of cases we treat.”
Alongside his work with BASS, Dr Ghosh recently served on a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline committee, helping to develop national guidance for the management of metastatic spinal cord compression.
Away from the operating theatre, Dr Ghosh is also a keen cricketer, playing local league cricket throughout the summer for the Trust team.
