COST-OFLIVING-CRISIS

SIA are acutely aware that the cost-of-living crisis has the potential to significantly impact spinal cord injured people. Managing a SCI is difficult at the best of times, but with energy costs so high and as the Autumn Statement continues to affect household incomes, we know many people are very worried about what the future holds.

We are keen to understand how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting our members; if you are happy to share your story please email me at the address above.

the annual international ‘Stop the Pressure’ awareness day, and left the assembled MPs and observers in no doubt that pressure ulcers are an area where the NHS can improve patient care and quality of life while saving significant costs.

NHS England estimated in 2016 that the approximate cost of treating pressure ulcers was £3.8m per day, which means even then, over £1bn each year was being spent on treating a condition which is essentially preventable. This number can be doubled when litigation costs are factored in, and of course costs will have increased significantly in the intervening years.

SIA will continue to actively campaign for better and wider understanding of how pressure ulcers can be prevented, and for the development and introduction of new and innovative products and ways of treating pressure ulcers if they do occur.

Sia Helps Launch Medical Technology Awareness Week

The Medical Technology Group (MTG) is a not-for-profit coalition of patient groups, research charities and medical device manufacturers which is working to make medical technologies available to everyone who needs them.

The MTG believes the uptake of medical technology in the UK is not as good as it should be, and that patients and clinicians need better information about medical technologies so they can make informed choices about their care and ultimately, improve their outcomes and quality of life.

The MTG’s flagship event is Medical Technology Awareness Week, which for 2022 was launched at a reception on the House of Commons Terrace in Westminster. The prestigious event brought together leading political and NHS influencers, and SIA was delighted to attend.

As SIA’s campaigns manager, I was able to provide a patient perspective speech to explain how vital medical technology was in saving my life in the immediate aftermath of my spinal cord injury. Additionally, I outlined ways in which technological developments can support people with long-term health conditions, whilst cautioning that sometimes the best solutions to improve quality of life are not high-tech or high cost but inexpensive and straightforward. Finally, I reinforced the fundamental importance of attitudes to patients and those with long-term conditions, and how crucial it is to listen to each patient as the absolute expert in their condition.