Over 100 delegates and exhibitors from around the UK joined us at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre for a day of enlightening and inspiring talks around the theme of Quality of Life for Life in spinal cord injury.  Sponsored by Slater and Gordon, we were so grateful to our brilliant speakers and would like to thank the following for giving up their time and sharing their valuable insights:

Ralph Charlwood & Nigel Henderson - who opened the day with a lively and interactive discussion on how well the medical model for rehab equips people with spinal cord injury for life in the real world.  We were delighted to see delegates so fired up and to hear about Ralph's lived experience of spinal cord injury.

Lisa Brown, from Coastal Case Management who used her personal experiences to inform the audience on the importance of case management over a lifetime. Hearing her first hand accounts of how a client's needs change was invaluable. 

Associate Professor, Jan Rosner who flew in especially from the The Danish Pain Research Centre to give an incredibly informative and accessible talk on the different types of pain in spinal cord injury and the long term psychological impact of living with pain.  As a recent recipient of Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research's funding for a clinical trial into a new treatment for neuropathic pain, it was wonderful to meet Jan and hear about his work.  

Professor Nick Donaldson (UCL) gave us a 'stimulating' talk on Electrical Stimulation in spinal cord injury! It was great to hear how it has been used historically and the difference it can make in both rehab settings and out in the real world as a tool for fitness and exercise.  

Dr Jane Duff, Head of Psychology at the National Spinal Injuries Centre challenged delegates' preconceptions on how a person's quality of life compares both before and after a spinal cord injury.  Drawing on her own clinical and research career, Jane gave delegates a fascinating insight into the importance of knowing when and how to intervene in someone's psychological health. 

The day was rounded off with a highly informative talk from Slater & Gordon's Senior Practice Director, Mike Knott, about how the legal profession can support people over a lifetime with SCI.

If you would like to register interest for our next study day (February 2027) either as an exhibitor or delegate, please email [email protected].