A brush with royalty is something many of us never experience. However, for Benita Hexter, clinical specialist and lead physiotherapist, London Spinal Cord Injury Centre (LSCIC), at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, a panel discussion was her chance.
Benita Hexter (far left) was joined on stage by HRH The Princess Royal – Photo credit: Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
Benita was invited to be part of a panel discussion at the Spinal Injuries Association’s (SIA) annual rebuilding lives conference. The panel discussion spoke about the future of spinal cord injury care from an expert perspective. One year on from the publication of the All-Party Parliamentary Group report, the panel explored the progress to date and the priorities that lie ahead.
Benita was joined on the discussion panel by Dr Mo Belal, consultant urological surgeon, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham; Dr Krystyna Walton, consultant in rehabilitation medicine, Salford Royal Hospital and chairman of the Rehabilitation, Complex Disability and Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Reference Group (CRG) for NHS England (NHSE); and Dr Adrian Hayter, chief medical officer, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
HRH The Princess Royal observed the discussion, offering insight and closing the day.
On the second day, Benita was part of a group sharing a plan to develop educational material to help services meet the standards for specialist rehabilitation of spinal cord injury. The intention is to use SIA and Multidisciplinary Association of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals (MASCIP) resources to produce expert, lived experience informed educational material to support those with spinal cord injury.
During the conference, Princess Anne met the nominees and winners of the Rebuilding Lives Awards, which celebrate the achievements of outstanding members of the spinal cord injury community. She then spoke to delegates and paid tribute to the charity’s work to support and advocate for better rehabilitation, care and support with a spinal cord injury.
Princess Anne’s history working with the Spinal Injuries Association goes back to 1984, when she became patron.
As a clinical specialist and lead physiotherapist, Benita helps patients recover after surgery. Benita provides professional leadership, supports service development and ensures the delivery of safe, effective and evidence-based care. From helping patients learn how to walk after spinal surgery to supporting patients manage pain through exercise, Benita’s work is vital to the recovery of Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) patients.
0 Comments