Last week the Spinal Injuries Association delivered its first-ever petition to 10 Downing Street, calling on the Prime Minister to adopt the recommendations of the APPG for Spinal Cord Injury’s inquiry report, Fragmented to Coordinated: Building a National Strategy for Spinal Cord Injury.
Accompanied by Andy McDonald MP, chair of the (APPG) and APPG vice chair, John Glen MP; association members delivered the petition, which is backed by more than 180 signatories, including consultants and healthcare professionals across almost every NHS trust, seven of the eight national spinal cord injury centres, the Royal College of Nursing, people with lived experience, partner charities, and parliamentarians.
Once a world leader in spinal cord injury care and rehabilitation, the United Kingdom has fallen behind with real economic and human harm a result
It states that current service fragmentation, regional inequities, a lack of consistent follow-up, and low awareness of life-threatening risks such as autonomic dysreflexia are harming individuals and driving higher long-term costs within complex care services.
It adds: “Sustaining a spinal cord injury introduces pervasive and imposing compounding burdens across physical, mental, social, economic, and familial domains.
“It is not a one-off event with a fixed recovery period, but a lifelong condition requiring co-ordinated, anticipatory, and adaptive systems of support.
Every person with a spinal cord injury deserves the chance to live an independent and fulfilling life. What’s missing is the national vision to connect the parts. That is the gap a national strategy must fill
“Once a world leader in spinal cord injury care and rehabilitation, the United Kingdom has fallen behind with real economic and human harm a result.
“Over the inquiry we heard clear, consistent evidence that spinal cord injury care is fragmented, under-resourced, and inequitable.
“Addressing these systemic failings requires both immediate corrective action and sustained long-term reform.”
Supporting the recommendations made in the APPG report, it calls for the removal of duplication, reduction of waste, and prevention of harm.
“Practical recommendations across rehabilitation, workforce, community care, data, and research are set out, all with one goal: ensuring that everyone with a spinal cord injury, wherever they live, can access the same high standards of care and support,” it states.
“The UK has the expertise, the will, and the economic rationale to lead the world in spinal cord injury care, again.
Together we want to explore concrete, practical steps that will improve lives by replacing the current fragmented approach with co-ordinated, person-centred care
“Every person with a spinal cord injury deserves the chance to live an independent and fulfilling life. What’s missing is the national vision to connect the parts. That is the gap a national strategy must fill.”
The petition, addressed to Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, requests a meeting with ministers to discuss how the recommendations proposed can be implemented alongside the NHS 10-Year Health Plan for England.
“We propose that this meeting includes us as Members of Parliament who are officers of the APPG, alongside the Secretariat, and individuals with spinal cord injury who can share their lived experiences,” the petition states.
“Together we want to explore concrete, practical steps that will improve lives by replacing the current fragmented approach with co-ordinated, person-centred care.”