A petition calling on the Prime Minister to end the postcode lottery affecting thousands of people living with spinal cord injuries has landed at 10 Downing Street, backed by two specialist solicitors from the South West who say the current system is fundamentally broken.
The Spinal Injuries Association’s campaign, which has garnered support from legal professionals working directly with affected individuals, seeks to implement recommendations outlined in an All-Party Parliamentary Group report that exposes deep-rooted failings in care provision across the country.
Tim Jones, a serious injury lawyer based in Taunton, and his Bristol colleague Katherine Moyse have thrown their weight behind the push for reform, drawing on years of experience representing clients whose lives have been upended by spinal cord damage. Both work for Enable Law and have witnessed first-hand the devastating consequences of what they describe as a disjointed approach to long-term support.
The scale of the problem is stark. Approximately 105,000 people across the United Kingdom are currently living with spinal cord injuries, yet the care they receive varies wildly depending on where they live. Every two hours, another person’s life is changed forever by such an injury, resulting in conditions that can include lifelong paralysis, unrelenting chronic pain, and loss of bladder, bowel and sexual function.
Perhaps most troubling is the revelation that just one in five individuals receive specialist rehabilitation at a dedicated spinal centre. The majority are left to navigate an inadequate support network that frequently leaves them without proper guidance or resources.
Tim, who attended the Westminster launch of the APPG report entitled ‘Fragmented to Coordinated: Building a National Strategy for Spinal Cord Injury’, explained his motivation for supporting the campaign. “We’re right behind the Spinal Injuries Association because the charity is determined to fix a broken system which is failing too many of our clients,” he said.
“We know from our own experience that many of the people with spinal cord injuries who come to Enable Law for legal support are often left in despair and are desperate to see improvements to a system which should serve them better.”
He painted a picture of a healthcare landscape marked by stark contrasts. “It’s an incredibly frustrating state of affairs which starts with our clients seeing the very best the NHS has to offer when they are initially treated for life-changing injuries, sustained through no fault of their own,” Tim continued.
“They display admirable bravery and determination as they try to re-build their lives but they end up being passed from pillar to post, unable to secure co-ordinated care they need to get on with their lives because they’re being let down by fragmented spinal injury care.”
The APPG investigation has highlighted numerous systemic problems. Hospital discharge planning remains inconsistent at best, whilst access to suitable housing proves elusive for many. Psychological support varies dramatically between regions, and crucially, no national registry exists to monitor outcomes or track patient progress over time.
Katherine Moyse, who operates from Enable Law’s Bristol city centre office, echoed her colleague’s concerns about the inadequacies plaguing current provision. “We know from speaking to Enable Law clients who have sustained debilitating spinal cord injuries that there is a lot to be desired when it comes to care and rehabilitation,” she said.
“It’s sad to say but time and time again we listen people who are left feeling marginalised by the physical and mental health consequences of their injuries which are potentially devastating for individuals and their families.”
The financial and human cost of these failures extends beyond the individuals directly affected. Katherine highlighted a troubling pattern that places additional strain on an already overstretched health service. “All too often our clients are ending up back in hospital because their injuries are not managed by appropriate specialists which entails a high cost for the individual as their return to work or study is delayed and to the NHS which is stretched to the limit,” she noted.
She argued forcefully for immediate change. “The time has come to build a pathway for people with spinal cord injuries to live their lives to the full. We must stop kicking the can down the road when it comes to spinal care and this proposed strategy paves the way for better care for everybody so they can get fitter and healthier through a co-ordinated support system.”
The campaign’s petition, delivered to Kier Starmer at Downing Street, urges the Government to adopt a comprehensive national strategy. The APPG recommendations call for co-ordinated, person-centred care that addresses rehabilitation, employment prospects, community support, data collection and research initiatives.
Andy McDonald, the Middlesbrough MP who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Spinal Cord Injury, has been unequivocal in his assessment of the current situation. “I’ve heard from clinicians, researchers, charities, and most importantly people living with SCI,” he said. “Their message is clear: the system is failing them. What should be a pathway of recovery has become a maze of delay, fragmentation, and inequality. This is not just a healthcare issue. It is a question of dignity, equality, and national leadership.”
With the latest figures indicating that approximately 4,400 people sustain new spinal cord injuries annually nationwide, the solicitors are reaching out to those affected across the South West. They are encouraging individuals living with spinal cord injuries, along with their families and carers, to seek support if they believe fragmented care has failed them.
The push for reform comes at a critical juncture, as mounting evidence suggests the current patchwork approach to spinal injury care is unsustainable both economically and ethically. Whether the petition will prompt Government action remains to be seen, but advocates argue the time for incremental changes has passed. What’s needed, they insist, is a fundamental restructuring that ensures every person affected by spinal cord injury receives the coordinated, specialist support they need to rebuild their lives with dignity.
