SIA's response to the Budget

In response to today’s budget announcement by the Chancellor, Sue Browning Chief Executive of Spinal Injuries Association, said.

“Spinal Injuries Association offers at best a cautious welcome to the Chancellor’s announcement of a cash boost to the NHS. People with a spinal cord injury will undoubtedly look forward to further announcements regarding the detail of how that money will be spent. Our evidence supported by the Chief Executive of the NHS, as well as leading NHS think tanks, is that patient safety is at risk unless the crisis in health and social care funding is immediately addressed.

“The looming crisis in care funding has already arrived for many spinal cord injured people. Our telephone helpline callers tell us of widespread variation in access and eligibility, delays in assessment and arbitrary caps on what is funded. Cuts to the size of NHS Continuing Healthcare funded packages are reducing care provision to unacceptable and unsafe standards.

“We are demanding immediate funding to address the crisis in Continuing Healthcare and social care. We want effective and fair funding of long term NHS Continuing Healthcare and social care to be amongst the highest priorities. Only then will SCI people have confidence that the care they need and deserve is safe, and helps them to lead fulfilled lives.”