Rebuilding Lives Conference Programme 2026
The 2026 Rebuilding Lives Conference theme is – “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures Together“
Thursday 1 October – Day
- 11am: Delegates arrive, exhibition opens
- 12pm: Lunch
- 1pm: Introduction and welcome
- 1.10pm: Keynote
- 1.40pm: Session 1 or education stream (neurogenic skin)
- 2.40pm: Break
- 3pm: Session 2 or education stream (neurogenic skin)
- 4pm: Break
- 4.20pm: Session 3
- 5.40pm: Break
Thursday 1 October – Evening
- 7.30pm Rebuilding Lives Awards and dinner
- 10pm: Formalities close
- 11pm: Event closes
The Rebuilding Lives Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and groups in the spinal cord injury community, who inspire others through their work, volunteering, or raising awareness.
Friday 2 October
- 8.30am: Delegates arrive, exhibition opens
- 9am: Introduction and welcome
- 9.10am: Keynote speaker
- 9.40am: Session 4 or education stream (dysphagia and impaired communication)
- 10.40am: Break
- 11am: Session 5 or education stream (neurogenic bowel and Autonomic Dysreflexia)
- 12pm: Lunch
- 1pm: Session 6 or education stream (dysphagia and impaired communication)
- 2pm: Break
- 2.20pm: Session 7 or education stream (neurogenic bowel and Autonomic Dysreflexia)
- 3.20pm Closing remarks
- 3.30pm: Event closes
Programme sessions
- Inside Westminster: What’s Changing – And Why it Matters for Spinal Cord Injury – Explore the latest developments in Parliament and Government, and their real-world consequences for spinal cord injury services and the community.
- Equal Care, Equal Outcomes: Closing the Gap in Women’s Health After Spinal Cord Injury –This session shines a light on progress, policy, and the fight for equal access to diagnosis, care, and long-term support for women with spinal cord injury.
- The Power of Discovery: Shaping the Future of SCI Care – This session invites researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders to explore how the world of spinal cord injury continues to be transformed by innovation in research. We will showcase a carousel of work assisted by SIA; demonstrating how shared knowledge and evidence-based research can accelerate innovation, redefine best practice, and create pathways for better outcomes.
- Primary Care Unlocked: New Approaches for Local Excellence – This session focusses on the future of spinal cord injury (SCI) care within primary and community settings. It explores how innovative, integrated models can more effectively meet the complex and long-term needs of people living with SCI, reflecting the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan and ongoing national primary care reforms. Delegates will hear from clinicians and lived experience experts, whose insights shape a shared vision of what high-quality, inclusive, person-centred SCI care should look like.
- Inside the Clinical Journey: Clinicians, Collaboration, Change – When charities work well with the NHS, patient outcomes can be transformed and lay the foundations for reintegration into society and a fulfilled life. This session leads with real world examples and sets out a vision for what this relationship could look like if formalised. There will be an interactive discussion around the blockers and how, as a community, we can bring about change at scale.
- Stronger Together: A Network of Support – Hear firsthand from people with lived experience of spinal cord injury and the people and partners who supported their journeys, all helping them to rebuild their lives, from mental health support, continuous care, housing and more. Learn about the importance of collaboration and the real-life impact when a network of support demonstrates we are stronger together.
- Panel Discussion – The Future of SCI Care: An Expert Perspective – One year on from the publication of the All‑Party Parliamentary Group report ‘From Fragmented to Coordinated: Building a National Spinal Cord Injury Strategy’, this panel will explore the progress to date and the priorities that lie ahead. Our experts will examine the challenges facing spinal cord injury care, highlight emerging opportunities, and discuss how collective action across the sector can drive meaningful, long‑term change
Education Stream
An Education Stream is being introduced to this year’s Rebuilding Lives Conference, an exciting new addition designed to enhance the delegate experience and deepen learning opportunities.
What does this mean for delegates?
Alongside the mainstage programme, delegates will now have the option to attend a series of smaller, alternative breakout sessions. These sessions are educational in focus and have been carefully curated to provide in-depth learning across key areas:
- Neurogenic skin and the management of pressure ulcers – This session will cover the changes that occur in a person’s skin following a spinal cord injury. It will address the impact of skin damage for someone with SCI and how debilitating this can be. This session aims to help you understand the changes that are experienced in the skin following SCI, discuss preventative measures and how to best treat the skin should an injury occur.
- Unseen and Unheard: Managing swallowing and communication issues in people with spinal cord injury – This session will explore the often-overlooked challenges of dysphagia and impaired communication. It emphasises their profound impact on health, nutrition, and social connection, highlighting the importance of recognition, support and tailored interventions.
- Neurogenic bowel dysfunction and Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) – This session will discuss why neurogenic bowel management is important for someone with SCI or Cauda Equina (CES) including an understanding of neurogenic bowel dysfunction, the different presentations and how to establish appropriate bowel care routines. The session also aims to highlight the life-threatening nature of Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) and what to do if this medical emergency occurs. It will cover the causes, the signs and the symptoms and the immediate management required to address the condition.
These sessions are educational in focus and have been carefully curated to provide in-depth learning across key areas, including:
- Speech & Language Therapy
- Skin Management
- Bowel Management
- Autonomic Dysreflexia
Each session is designed to support a greater understanding of the subject area, explore the real-life impact on individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI), and highlight how healthcare professionals (HCPs) can embed meaningful, practical change into their day-to-day practice.
This new education stream represents an exciting opportunity for delegates who wish to explore specific topics. For healthcare professionals it’s an opportunity to refresh existing knowledge, for others it’s an opportunity to gain clinical knowledge and broader understanding of experiences and challenges faced by the SCI community. These sessions are ideal for those with limited or no knowledge of SCI management.
Please note places for these sessions will be limited.
