SIA provides evidence to House of Commons' Committee

Brian O’Shea , Spinal Injuries Association’s Continuing Healthcare Advisor gave evidence earlier this week (1 November 2017) to the House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee on the funding of  NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Sue Browning, Chief Executive of Spinal Injuries Association commented:

“By giving evidence directly to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on this essential issue, Spinal Injuries Association is ensuring that the concerns and experiences of our 10,000 members are being heard. Unjustifiable delays and huge regional variations in decision making that lead to unsafe cuts to care must stop now. This is particularly an issue for spinal cord injured people who, with the right care and support can have many decades of leading a fulfilled life ahead of them after they have been injured or diagnosed.

Since 2011 SIA has been campaigning for timely, lawful and consistent NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) eligibility decisions by health authorities. We urge the government to listen to severely disabled people’s call for a system that genuinely provides the independence, support and care they need and deserve.  Whilst the attention of the PAC is an important and welcome development, we will not rest until every spinal cord injured person has the care and support to live an independent, fulfilling life.”

Film of the Public Accounts Committee meeting can be viewed here

Other attendees included: Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary, Jonathan Marron, Director General Community Care, Department of Health , Simon Stevens, Chief Executive, and Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer, NHS England as well as Matina Loizou, Chair, Continuing Healthcare Alliance, Dan Harbour, Managing Director, Beacon, and Elise Hoadley, Hospice Director, Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice.