Sports Medicine at BallaratOSM has had a big year: having started just a year ago we are overjoyed to have filled a glaring need for specialist Sports Medicine services in Ballarat and surrounds. It has been a pleasure getting to know our local medical and allied health network and sporting community, and we look forward to working with you even more in the New Year.

In July, we moved into our new consulting rooms at 107 Webster Street and opened our Acute Sports Injury Clinic. In August, we were very excited to host many colleagues and friends at the launch night for the Injury Clinic, where Danny Frawley outlined the importance of having good local services in a city with as much sport and activity as Ballarat. This was also an opportunity to ‘show off’ our ultimate new home at 109 Webster Street, where works are shortly to get under way.

We have had a number of practitioners assist in the day-to-day running of our Sports Medicine service throughout the year, and my thanks go to Drs Matt Chamberlain and Sachin Khullar, who consulted during my appointment at the Ski & Snowboard World Championships, and while I was on leave, respectively.

I would also like to thank Dr Tanusha Cardoso, who has taken the time amongst her job as the Australian Opals team doctor to consult two days per week with us over the past month. Tanusha will continue to consult 1-2 days per week in January as well. We will also welcome Dr Anthony Hipsley to the practice in February, as our first Sports Medicine registrar.

I will be returning to consulting in January, and it will be a pleasure to be back in the saddle again.

I hope you all have a happy and safe holiday period, and we look forward to an even bigger and better 2018.