SIA Academy

The SIA Academy is the education, training and research arm of the Spinal Injuries Association. The Academy promotes training, education, social research, SCI awareness and best practice in living with spinal cord injury.

SIA Training Courses

SIA training courses are designed to provide information, insight and practical help on a range of specialist topics related to living with spinal cord injury.

Current courses are ‘Your Voice’ (self-advocacy), ‘Funding & Managing Your Care Needs’, ‘Housing’, ‘Parenting’, 'Employment' and ‘Making a Claim under the Equality Act 2010’. Courses are delivered over one or two days, with each day running from 10.30am to 4pm (approx). They are FREE to attend, and lunch and refreshments will be provided.  Details of what is covered by each course can be found on our SIA Training Courses page.

Our courses are aimed at SCI people, family members, carers, Spinal Centre and voluntary sector staff, although attendance at ‘Your Voice’ courses is restricted to SCI people and family members only.

Click here to view our full list of training dates and venues for the year and to access our online booking form.  Alternatively you can contact Karen Mikalsen, Academy Co-ordinator, on 0845 678 6633 ext 221 or email her at k.mikalsen@spinal.co.uk.

Bespoke Training Courses: If your organisation is interested in booking a trained SCI speaker to talk about living with spinal cord injury and raise awareness of spinal cord injury and disability issues, then please contact Karen Mikalsen as above.

MSc in Advancing Spinal Cord Rehabilitation and Management

Spinal cord injury is a devastating physical, emotional and socioeconomic event for an indivual occurring in people of all ages and is one of the most complex and challenging areas of medical, surgical and rehabilitative management.

Bucks New University, in association with Stoke Mandeville National Spinal Injuries Centre, has introduced a new Masters course aimed at health professionals working in this specialist field and in the wider non-spinal specialist settings.  This course will enable the healthcare professional to respond to the needs of individuals with spinal cord injury.  It will provide the student with the opportunity to expand and synthesise knowledge, evidence and practice in the quest for clinical excellence in spinal cord injury management.

The SIA Academy is delighted to be working in partnership with the University in the delivery of this course and will be offering its own Study Days to students as well as the resources of our National Library on Spinal Cord Injury to assist in their research.

For further information on the MSc, go to the Bucks New University website.  A small bursary is available from SIA for students towards the cost of course fees/travel costs.  For further information and how to apply for a bursary, email Mary Ann Tyrrell at the SIA office.

Resources

Medical and social researchers, as well as spinal cord injured people themselves, are welcome to use the Academy's resources to further their education or interest in this field.

Resources include:

SIA National Library on Spinal Cord Injury

Training Room

SIA Academy Publications

The Academy also publishes reports, surveys, research and best practice guidelines on specific topics related to spinal cord injury.

Ageing Well and Spinal Cord Injury, investigating the issues facing those ageing with a SCI.

Preserving and Developing the National Spinal Cord Injury Service, providing a comprehensive baseline overview of the requirements and provision of specialist spinal cord injury services during one financial year [produced in collaboration with the British Association of Spinal Cord Injury Specialists (BASCIS) and the Multi-Disciplinary Association of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals (MASCIP).

Campaigning for Change Manifesto, 2009 - 2011, a manifesto outlining the Spinal Injuries Association's vision for better care, services and transport for spinal cord injured people.

Continuing Healthcare Information Pack (2010 edition), this information pack was produced by SIA in association with Active Assistance and provides guidance on how to prepare for, and what to include in, an NHS Continuing Healthcare Assessment.  To improve the understanding of tetraplegia, particularly in relation to assessments for NHS Continuing Healthcare, MASCIP (Multidisciplinary Association of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals) and the SIA Academy have developed a Statement on Tetraplegia which is included in the information pack.  More information on this subject can be found in the section on the NHS Continuing Healthcare Advice Service. 

SIA produces many other publications. Visit the SIA Shop to see more.