Getting to know our new Head of Education and Development, Daron Oram
04 September 2025
(Last updated: 10 Sep 2025 17:01)
Daron, you’ve been working for BASHH for four months, now. How’s it been going?
It’s going really well, As this is a new role, I’ve been spending a lot of time meeting BASHH members to understand the wide-range of member-led training and events that the organisation runs, as well as working with the STI Foundation team. I’ve also been working with the Education Chair, Matthew Grundy-Bowers, and the Conferences Chair, Chris Ward, to see how my role can best support their work in overseeing BASHH’s education and conference activity.
What were you doing before you joined BASHH?
Just prior to joining BASHH I was working for the National AIDS Trust where I led on the development of the HIV Confident charter mark. HIV Confident is working with organisations, including many NHS Trusts to work towards a stigma free environment for people living with HIV, whether they are working for organisation or accessing services. The programme is free for the NHS and I encourage everyone to get involved. Prior to working for NAT I was working in education and training for Anna Freud a national youth mental health charity.
Since joining BASHH, what have you been focussing on?
Some areas of work have developed quite fast. As members will probably know, the secretariat function of the STI Foundation has moved to be directly managed by BASHH. We are grateful for the work that EBS have done to support the programme over the past few years, and we are also thankful that Sue Bird, who previously worked in the STI Foundation secretariat role, has come back to support us through the transition while we recruit a new Training and Membership Officer.
The STI Foundation is a valuable part of our work and has an essential role in supporting the career development of the sexual health workforce. I’ve been working the STI Foundation Chairs and Exec to review our systems and look for opportunities to develop and enhance the way that we support trainees, trainers and STIF Theory course directors.
Alongside this work, I’ve been meeting with SIG chairs and members to plan our education calendar for the rest of this year. This includes the upcoming ABC of Adolescent Sexual Health in Sept, a Dermatology Basics course in Oct, and an exciting in person event being run by the Gender and Sexual Minorities SIG in Leeds, on 7th November. This study day will look at a range of issues for trans and non-binary individuals accessing sexual health care. The event programme can be seen here.
What are you looking forward to for the future?
There’s so much excellent educational work being done by BASHH members across the UK. I want to ensure that members who are delivering those events can do so effectively and that BASHH continues to deliver cutting edge training and events. To do that I’m going to be working alongside Kat Smithson our CEO to create an education strategy for BASHH that ties into the organisational strategy that Kat has been developing. This will involve incorporating recommendations from the EEDI review and reaching out to members through a questionnaire and some focus groups.
The education strategy for BASHH will have three core elements; looking at how we continue to deliver high quality SIG led training events to meet the needs of BASHH members and the wider Sexual Health workforce in a changing landscape of healthcare, how we support the training and development of nurses and health advisors throughout their careers, and how we best support doctors into and through training as consultants or as SAS doctors.
How can BASHH members engage with this work?
I’m keen to hear from as many BASHH members as possible. If members have any comments or questions, or suggestions for educational events or materials, they can email me directly daron.oram@bassh.net. As mentioned, there will be a survey going out to members and a more in-depth questionnaire to STI Foundation trainers and trainees. I encourage everyone to complete those, if they can. I’ll also be meeting with various groups, such as SIGs, regional groups, Nurses and Health Advisers, and SAS doctors and we’ll let members know the details.
Finally, can I say thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome. BASHH members are doing incredible things in an increasingly tough climate. I hope that I can support them to continue and enhance this great work.