Roger Fitzwater

I am married with three daughters and one son, and am T12 paraplegic following an accident 21 years ago.  I have worked in all the major specialties in both teaching and district general hospitals, and spent 20 years as a General Practitioner and General Medical Practitioner trainer.  I have special interests and experience in health education, in particular with reference to the value of exercise in illness and disability.  I am a founding Trustee of the Disabled Ramblers and Hand Cycle Associations and campaigned to remove barriers from cycle and public footpaths.  I also successfully campaigned to get the Royal College of Nursing to change their unhelpful manual bowel evacuation guidelines, and was one of the prime movers in the establishment of SIA House being a serving Trustee at that time.  I have been involved in research into FES recreational exercise for may years, both in its development and investigation into its health benefits.  I am extremely concerned about the inadequate number of beds allocated for SCI patients, and also the treatment they receive when admitted to District General hospitals.