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Hudgell Solicitors and Spinal Injuries Association renew partnership
National law firm, Hudgell Solicitors, have renewed their partnership with Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) after a successful year of campaigning for the rights of people with spinal cord injury.
Photo: Paralysed Bowel Care Awareness Day Parliamentary event, House of Lords (10 February 2025)
Spinal Injuries Association, the expert guiding voice for life after spinal cord injury, and leading law firm Hudgell Solicitors, a firm known for taking on some of the country’s most challenging miscarriages of justice, became the charity’s official campaign for change partner in 2024 to fight for the rights of people with spinal cord injury.
The need is greater than ever; figures released in 2024 show that every two hours, someone in the UK sustains a life-changing spinal cord injury, with 4,400 people newly injured every year. There are currently 105,000 people living with spinal cord injury in the UK. The effects of spinal cord injury are usually permanent and include paralysis, loss of bladder, bowel, and sexual function, and skin issues including pressure ulcers.
By joining forces, SIA and Hudgells have campaigned for increased awareness and better healthcare for people living with spinal cord injury.
Dharshana Sridhar, campaigns manager from Spinal Injuries Association said:
“Over the last year, the partnership has seen the charity’s campaigning go from strength to strength, as we hosted parliamentary roundtables, reconvening the all-party parliamentary group to raise awareness in government of spinal cord injury, and have been in conversation with the Department of Health and Social Care to advocate for those living with spinal cord injuries.”
Our campaign efforts have made substantial progress in shifting policy, gaining parliamentary traction, and fostering new alliances within the healthcare sectors.
With the support of Hudgell Solicitors, the charity has also collaborated with the National Wound Care Strategy Alliance and advocated for more inclusive pressure ulcer diagnosis in dark skin tones.
The launch of the Women’s Healthcare Taskforce, which includes MPs, healthcare providers, and women with lived experience, addressed inequalities in diagnostic testing for disabled women, including access to mammograms, which are often inaccessible for women paralysed from the chest down. The campaign saw its first win with the Department of Health and Social Care’s updated breast screening guidance for disabled women.
The Paralysed Bowel Campaign aims to improve bowel care for people with spinal cord injuries, particularly in healthcare settings which often lack training to help patients with their continence needs. The Bowel Care Roundtable on gathered top-level influencers, including NHS representatives, MPs, legal representatives, including Hudgell Solicitors, and charity leaders. Spinal Injuries Association has now established the first neurogenic bowel awareness day on February 10 this year.
Rachel Di Clemente, CEO at Hudgell Solicitors, said:
“It is an honour and absolute pleasure to work alongside the campaigns team at the Spinal Injuries Association. Their commitment and passion to create positive change for the spinal cord injured community is relentless. We remain committed to doing whatever we can to support them in the fight for change.”
Nik Hartley OBE, CEO Spinal Injuries Association, said:
“The partnership with Hudgell Solicitors has propelled SIA’s advocacy to unprecedented levels and our continued collaboration will allow SIA to expand on these gains, ensuring long-term, systematic change across healthcare, policy, and social awareness domains.”
Our campaigns team remains committed to deepening this impactful relationship with Hudgells, building on our shared vision for an inclusive, equitable future for all those affected by spinal cord injury.
