Mr James Duncan

Mr Duncan qualified in medicine at the University of Nottingham in 2011. During his time at medical school he also completed an intercalated research degree (BMedSci(Hons)) focussed on the development of a novel imaging system. After graduating from medical school, Mr Duncan undertook his core surgical training in London before completing his specialist Trauma & Orthopaedic training in Oxford. In his final years of orthopaedic training, he began specialising in hip and knee surgery, including working in the world renowned revision (“re-do”) hip and knee replacement unit at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre. He also spent his final year in Oxford as the Chief Resident for the orthopaedic deanery.  After completing his training in the UK, Mr Duncan was awarded two international fellowships. His first was an AO Trauma Fellowship in Zurich, Switzerland, where he learned minimally invasive fracture fixation techniques and the direct anterior approach for hip replacements. He then spent a year in Sydney, Australia, focussing on hip and knee surgery. During this time in Sydney, he trained in complex hip and knee surgery, including the use of computer assisted surgery and robotics in hip and knee replacements. It is this experience that has shaped his current practice, utilising technology in surgery and delivering ‘personalised’ joint replacements. Mr Duncan returned to the UK in early 2024 and has been working as a consultant at the Royal Berkshire Hospital since then. Here he has a complex hip and knee practice and was one of the first consultants to begin performing robotic knee replacements at the hospital. Mr Duncan now offers robotic knee replacements at Circle Reading Hospital using the VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solutions system for knee replacement surgery. VELYS™ is a state-of-the-art robotic system designed to enhance precision, personalise surgical planning, and support optimal outcomes in total knee replacement. Patients benefit from improved alignment and quicker recovery. Mr Duncan is also the lead surgeon for ‘ambulatory’ joint replacements, which aims to enhance the recovery of patients undergoing hip and knee surgery, allowing them to return to their own homes faster, often on the day of surgery, thereby improving patient outcomes and satisfaction. He remains actively involved in research, focusing on the use of novel technology in orthopaedics, and has been a sub-investigator for clinical trials investigating the use of robotic joint replacement and uncemented knee replacements. He has multiple peer reviewed publications, including a book chapter on the use of 3D printing in orthopaedic surgery and continues to publish and present work.  Outside of work, James is married and enjoys sports, travel and the outdoors. He is a keen mountaineer and has climbed several mountains including Mont Blanc in France, Monte Rosa in Italy and Island Peak in Nepal. 

Hip and knee arthroplasty (joint replacements) Partial knee replacements Revision hip and knee replacements Robotic joint replacements Rapid recovery pathways