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Shoosmiths-sponsored report could prompt better spinal care

03 June 2009

A report sponsored by Shoosmiths could prompt improved treatment for spinal injury sufferers.

The national law firm backed two years’ urgently needed research on behalf of the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).

Called Preserving and Developing the National Spinal Cord Injury Service (Phase 2 – Seeking the Evidence), the report was launched at a reception hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Spinal Cord Injury, at Westminster.

A lack of quick and easy access to Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Centres prompted the SIA to commission the report, which looks at how centres can be preserved, developed and accessed; plus their service provision, capacity and funding.

The report provides the SIA with the facts and figures it required to back up a campaign it is taking to the Department of Health.

Among the report’s findings were:
• 21% of new injuries did not get admitted within a month of injury
• 10% of did not receive any specialist care from an SCI Centre
• Delayed admission to an SCI Centre increases the risk of complications and time spent in hospital

SIA chairman John Borthwick said: “This situation has to end. It is vital that everyone with spinal cord injuries has access to a specialist SCI Centre as soon as possible. We believe the report will have a major influence on their development.”

Shoosmiths partner and personal injury specialist Laurence Marshall said: “Many of our clients are spinal injury sufferers, and we see first hand the effects of their injuries on both them and their families.

“Quicker and easier access to specialist centres would be a tremendous help, and is the reason Shoosmiths was only too happy to help fund this extremely important report.”

The Spinal Injuries Association is a UK charity dedicated to supporting people with spinal cord injuries and their families.

There are an estimated 40,000 spinal cord injured people in the UK, and around 1,000 get injured every year, with most resulting in paralysis,

With the right support and information, people can still enjoy a full and independent life after injury.

The SCI service in the UK has a total of up to 450 beds located across eight NHS SCI Centres in England, and one each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
 
Since 1980 the number of beds has fallen, whilst the proportion of people surviving spinal cord injuries has increased.

More information is available at www.spinal.co.uk


For further information please contact:
Name: Alastair Gray
Phone: 08700 864096
Email: Alastair.Gray@shoosmiths.co.uk

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