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A spinal injury could happen to anyone. Each year in Northern Ireland, around sixty people are seriously injured from things such as road traffic accidents, medical negligence and sporting accidents.
The spinal injury support organisations that are active in Northern Ireland offer a variety of support for people at all stages of dealing and living with a spinal injury. This ranges from immediately after the injury occurred to ongoing support long into the future.
Support providers work independently or together depending on the needs of the service user. It is not unusual for someone who has suffered from a spinal injury to encounter many, if not all, support providers. This collaborative approach to care ensures that those in need are looked after in the most efficient way possible.
The Spinal Cord Injuries Unit provides intensive rehabilitation when someone has suffered a spinal cord injury. It is located within Musgrave Park Hospital. This service is provided by doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and other professionals. When someone suffers a spinal cord injury, they will initially be treated in an acute hospital. A consultant will then refer them to the rehabilitation programme in the Spinal Cord Injury Unit.
You can learn more about the Spinal Cord Injuries Unit at Belfast Trust HSCNI.
Horatio’s Garden is a UK national charity creating and nurturing beautiful, accessible gardens in NHS spinal injury centres across the country to support the physical and psychological rehabilitation of everyone affected by a spinal injury. They intend to begin building Horatio’s Garden in Northern Ireland in 2023 at the Spinal Cord Injuries Unit, Musgrave Park Hospital.
We were honoured to be invited to the official launch of Horatio’s Garden NI. We discussed the launch in our blog, Horatio’s Garden comes to Northern Ireland.
You can learn more about the project at Horatio’s Garden.
The Spinal Injuries Association is the largest spinal injuries charity in the UK. They provide support and signpost people to other services through their support network. SIA ensure people with spinal injuries are supported by experts who help them go on to live a fulfilled life. This support is lifelong, from diagnosis to living in the community.
SIA have a dedicated Northern Ireland support coordinator who visits Northern Ireland on a regular basis. They can assist with a range of things from counselling to rehabilitation and medical support, to legal advice and benefits expertise. They provide support to all affected by spinal cord injuries, including families.
You can learn more about this charity at Spinal Injuries Association.
Back Up are a UK national charity that focuses on assisting those with spinal injuries to increase their skills and confidence as they learn to live with their injury. They provide practical advice and workshops across the UK. Back Up visit Musgrave Park Hospital throughout the year where they put on wheelchair skills training.
You can learn more about this charity at Back Up.
Spinal Injury Northern Ireland specialises in post-hospitalisation rehabilitation. They work toward providing support, rehabilitation and specialist physiotherapy equipment. Sp.I.N.I. was founded by a Northern Irish man, Peter Steele after he suffered a spinal injury.
You can learn more about this wonderful local charity at Spinal Injury Northern Ireland.
McCartan Turkington Breen Solicitors are one of several law firms in Northern Ireland with expertise in catastrophic injury claims. Our Belfast-based serious injury claims department is so well regarded, that it is currently ranked in the top band in the prestigious Chambers Guide.
You can learn more about our services at Spinal Injury Claims or contact us for a free initial enquiry with an expert solicitor.
