Excellence in REMS Scans since 2018
Norton House Hotel & Spa
Harvest Road
Newbridge
Edinburgh
EH28 8LX
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Alison Johnson, REMS Practitioner is a retired South African Registered Nurse with 44 years of experience spanning critical care, midwifery, anaesthetics, primary care, and women’s health – expertise that now fuels her mission to improve bone health through timely bone-health assessment, education and prevention. Driven by a passion for innovation and proactive care, Alison founded Hampton Bone Health Ltd to offer a more natural approach to managing and supporting bone health. Hampton Bone Health Ltd works with Osteoscan UK to provide REMS bone-health assessments through a network of regional clinics in the United Kingdom and on the island of Ireland. Alison is a fully certified REMS Practitioner, trained under Spine and Bone Health Specialist Dr Nick Birch, with whom she works in close collaboration to ensure clients have access to specialist review and interpretation, where appropriate. While Alison does not provide medical advice or clinical diagnoses herself, she offers one-to-one REMS assessments using radiation-free technology, followed by supportive discussions focused on lifestyle, movement, and nutrition – all of which may influence bone strength and overall well-being. Her approach is grounded in empathy, education, and decades of hands-on healthcare experience. Alison’s work focuses on improving access to timely bone-health assessment and clear education, supporting informed choices that may protect skeletal health and reduce modifiable fracture risks.
Dr Nick Birch MB BS FRCS (Orth) is one of the UK’s most respected specialists in spine and bone health, recognised internationally for his contributions to musculoskeletal medicine, fracture prevention, and skeletal imaging innovation. With more than 35 years of clinical experience and a career spanning major NHS spinal units and private specialist centres, he has earned a reputation as a trusted, authoritative, and forward-thinking clinician.
A prolific academic, Dr Birch has authored over 45 clinical papers, with more than 20,000 reads and over 1,100 citations, reflecting the global influence of his work. His research spans spinal pathology, bone fragility, fracture biomechanics, and advanced non-ionising bone-quality assessment. He is particularly known for his work with Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry (REMS), a radiation-free technology used to assess bone mineral density and aspects of bone fragility.
Dr Birch is a founding member of the International Institute for Musculoskeletal Health Education (IIMHE), where he plays a central role in shaping global standards, ethics frameworks, and advanced training pathways for practitioners. Through IIMHE, he contributes to defining the future of musculoskeletal diagnostics and multidisciplinary bone-health education worldwide. His teaching is valued for its clarity, strong evidence-base, and warm, practical communication style, a combination that resonates with clinicians across a range of specialties and allied-health professionals.
As Chief Medical Officer of Hampton Bone Health Ltd and Managing Director of Osteoscan UK Ltd, Dr Birch supports the delivery of specialist REMS-based bone-health services across the United Kingdom. Under his guidance, Osteoscan UK has expanded its consultant-led clinics across the four countries of the United Kingdom, bringing high-quality, radiation-free bone assessment into both clinical and community settings. His leadership has been instrumental in raising professional standards, establishing rigorous quality-control procedures, and elevating national understanding around preventative bone health.
Internationally, Dr Birch is widely regarded as a renowned voice of expertise in musculoskeletal health, often consulted by clinicians, device innovators, and professional bodies seeking guidance on bone-quality imaging, fracture risk, and the translation of emerging science into everyday patient care. His ability to blend research insight, clinical judgement, and humane, accessible communication makes him an exceptional educator and keynote speaker.
At the heart of Dr Birch’s work is a simple, steady purpose:
to give people clear, reliable pathways to protect their mobility, confidence, and long-term skeletal strength.
His blend of scientific precision, clinical expertise, and genuine care continues to make him an invaluable contributor to the global musculoskeletal health community.
