Issue One | March 2007
…because life needn't stop when you're paralysed
E-clips is our new bi-monthly email bulletin from SIA. You have recieved this first issue because you may have dealt with us in the past or have expressed an interest in the effects a SCI can have on a persons life.
Through this publication we hope to keep you up to date with all the events and fundraising activities taking place with SIA as well as give you an insight as to what you can expect when you join our organisation.
In this months issue we…
SIA is here to help both those with a SCI and their families get through the issues that come with a paralysing injury. We offer support and advice to all.
Read more…Anyone can have access to our core services such as peer support and use of the Advice Line. However, members are offered a more personable level of support from everyone on the team.
Join SIA…As a charity we depend on the donations given to us by the public, through corporate and trust grants and a small amount of statuatory funding. Please help us in offering the same excellent services by donating.
Donate…Any questions? Need some advice? That’s what our Advice Line is here for!
As well as being available by phone between 9.30 and 4.30 (closed from 1-2), we’re now introducing a new way of accessing the service.
We’ll aim to answer your query as quickly as possible, so why not give us a call? We deal with hundreds of enquiries every year with a high level of satisfaction.
Phone us on freephone 0800 980 0501 (UK only) or follow the link to find out more.
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Now that Winter is on its way out, and the warmer months are heading our way, it’s time to think about coming out of hibernation.
Our Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Team have some tips to help you throw off those winter blues:
…how will we know we are making progress?
The Office for Disability Issues is seeking the views of stakeholders to help them in their work to deliver the government’s vision of equality for disabled people by 2025.
They acknowledge that equality can mean very different things to different people and that disabled people are the experts on what is important to them in their lives. It is for this reason that they are launching a consultation to hear what we as disabled people think equality for disabled people should look like in 2025 and what we think are the most important areas of our lives that they should focus on when measuring progress.
This is an important opportunity for us to tell them about our views and experiences. The consultation runs from 14 February until 9 May 2007. They want to hear from as many disabled people as possible, as well as from people whose lives are affected by disability or long-standing illness. This includes children, young people and adults of all ages and all backgrounds, as well as parents and carers of disabled people.
The consultation paper is available in a range of formats. These can be obtained from their website www.officefordisability.gov.uk or can be requested by Telephone: 020 7712 2548, Textphone: 020 7712 2332 and Email: disability.progress@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
We are also holding events in Cardiff on 19 March, Edinburgh on 27 March, London on 30 March and Manchester on 4 April.
A report summarising responses will be published in Summer 2007.
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The SIA National Library on SCI is now well and truly open to all. The unique reference library is housed in SIA's main offices in SIA House, Milton Keynes.
If you would like to visit the library then contact our Librarian Debbie Schofield by email at d.schofield@spinal.co.uk to book a visiting appointment. Library opening hours are Monday to Thursday, 10am to 2pm.
Our library collection is growing weekly. It covers a wide range of topics relating to spinal cord injury. Five latest additions to the library are:
We have a wide range of interesting periodicals –recently acquired subscriptions include New Scientist, Total Access (from the Canadian Paraplegic Association) and Health Service Journal.
Back to topWe are looking for a number of volunteers to help catalogue our books and subscriptions onto our new digital database.
Volunteers must be proficient with computers at an intermediate level, motivated and have a liking for books. Work will fall between Monday to Thursdays.
Contact Debbie Schofield by email at d.schofield@spinal.co.uk if you are interested.
Back to top…The Government's proposals to improve programme delivery
The consultation document ‘Disabled Facilities Grant Programme: The Government's proposals to improve programme delivery’ is a response to the findings and recommendations produced in the independent Bristol University report, published back in October 2005. Using the findings and recommendations from the Bristol report, the paper identifies both short term and long term plans and asks for comments on the proposals. The document provides the Government's proposals to improve the Disabled Facilities Grant Programme. The consultation which is taking place between 18 January 2007 and 13 April 2007 is aimed at Local authorities, housing associations, Home Improvement Agencies, disabled people and voluntary organisations, manufacturers of equipment for disabled people, and the general public.
This publication is available free of charge from…
Please quote the product code ‘06 HC 04325’ when ordering. The publication is available in alternative formats (eg Braille or audio) please email alternativeformats@communities.gsi.gov.uk quoting the title and product code/ISBN of the publication, and your address and telephone number. You can also view and/or download the 42 page document by visiting www.communities.gov.uk
You are invited to submit any comments or suggestions you have on these proposals by 13 April 2007. If you are submitting a response it would be very helpful if you could send a copy to Mick Hutchins, Public Affairs Officer at SIA, via email at m.hutchins@spinal.co.uk. Or if you would like to just give us you views for inclusion in the SIA response we would be very pleased to hear from you. A summary of responses to this consultation will be published by 6 July 2007 on the Housing adaptations for disabled people hompage. Paper copies will be available on request.
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The Continuing Care Campaign have set up an online parliamentary petition on the No.10 website reads as follows:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Fully fund long term care for our sick and elderly under the 1946 National Health Service Act and the 'Coughlan' Judgment in the Court of Appeal 1999.
If you are interested in signing the petition please visit the website: Continuing Care Petition
If you would like more information about the Continuing Care Campaign please visit their website at continuingcarecampaign.info
Back to topThe launch of a new website resource produced by the Brain and Spine Foundation, on information for supporting the NSF for neurological conditions will take place at SIA House on 15th March 2007. The toolkit is targeted at health and social care professionals and service commissioners (PCTs), but may also be useful for people affected by neurological conditions. It is designed to help health and social care professionals and PCTs to implement the National Service Framework (NSF) for long-term neurological conditions. It is particularly focused on the information aspects of the NSF and Quality Requirement (QR)1 which requires that:
"People with long-term neurological conditions are offered integrated assessment and planning of their health and social care needs. They are to have the information they need to make informed decisions about their care and treatment and, where appropriate, to support them to manage their condition themselves."
To see the toolkit you should visit the Brain and Spine Foundation website at www.brainandspine.org.uk
Back to topTwo points of interest for readers this month with the following research projects
From Bionic Ear to Bionic Spinal Cord
The bionic ear, a cochlear implant that has restored hearing in over 50,000 people worldwide, was hailed a major scientific breakthrough.
Its pioneer was a Melbourne-based surgeon and researcher, Professor Graeme Clark, hopes to apply the same bionic technology to’ get people to walk, to feel and to function properly.’
For further information follow the link.
Nanoparticles may treat spinal injuries
Researchers at the University of Central Florida, Orlando have shown that the cerium oxide (an anti-oxidant) nanoparticles may protect spinal neurons from oxidative damage in the early stages of spinal cord injury.
Cells adjacent to the damaged spinal cord are bombarded by free radicals by the immune system in its attempt to mop up the cellular debris. The nanoparticles are thought to confine the damage to the injury site, in doing so reducing the extent of spinal cord injury.
For further information follow the link.
Back to topFour events on the calender between now and the next issue, so stick these in you diaries and check the link for more details on each event.
| April | ||
|---|---|---|
| 10th | Cheapstow Races | |
| 19th | Grand National Ball, London | |
| 22nd | Flora London Marathon | |
| May | ||
| 3rd - 6th | Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials |
Our legacy team are in the process of organising a series of seminars to help in the process of will writing.
The sessions are completely free and presided over by a professional solicitor who will be there to offer advice and give talks on the better ways to go about writing a will, and leaving a legacy donation to charity.
If you are at all interested in attending one such seminar then please make your way through to our legacy page where you can register your details to us. Locations and dates will then be decided upon dependant on interest levels.
Back to topWe hope you have enjoyed this first issue of e-clips from the Spinal Injuries Association.
Special thanks goes out to Simon, one of our members, who designed the e-clips logo for us. Simon has a website at www.apparelyzed.com that is well worth checking out.
If you have any comments about e-clips or if you would like to give any feedback, please email our Web Editor Matt on m.lodge@spinal.co.uk.
From everyone here at SIA we would like to thank you all for reading this bulletin and we will see you again in May 2007.
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Wish to contact us about regarding e-clips. Email the team at sia@spinal.co.uk or phone 0845 678 6633.