Direct Skeletal Fixation pilot scheme part of Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

25 November 2015

Blesma, The Limbless Veterans Chief Executive Barry Le Grys welcomes the news that funding from banking fines will be used to conduct and evaluate Direct Skeletal Fixation (DSF) surgery (also known as osseointegration), following the publication of the Chancellor’s Autumn statement today.

The procedure for some of the most injured Service personnel and veterans can be life changing. It involves anchoring into the bone an attachment that prosthetic legs can be attached to directly, eliminating the need for a socket which for a lot of amputees, causes them the most issues.

Blesma has campaigned hard for closer collaboration between Government Departments who deal with the most complex traumatic injuries. The White Report written by Blesma Member and triple amputee Jon White, published in August, called for this.

Mr Le Grys says: “As the expert Service charity on living with limb loss, Blesma are looking forward to continue playing a lead role in communicating with Service Charities and individual veterans to ensure this pilot programme benefits those veteran amputees most in need.

“We will work closely with MoD, the NHS and the UK Departments of Health to determine the referral pathway for the DSF pilot and to help identify eligible and suitable veterans for the programme while continuing to support our Members and where necessary help guide those eligible for consideration of DSF through the process.”

The referral pathway can also act as a second opinion for a small cohort of veteran amputee patients for whom getting suitable sockets has been difficult. This pathway provides them with a possible alternative route. Referral of patients from one clinician to another is not a new concept and already happens within the NHS. What would be new is the second opinion being provided by Defence Medical Services.

Blesma, The Limbless Veterans is the national charity for all limbless service men and women, their widows and dependants. It was formed in the years following the First World War and became a national charity in 1932.

 

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor

Hi-res images can be downloaded from the links below:

Veteran with DSF: https://blesma.org/media/231277/IMG_5343.jpg

 

You can read the full Autumn Statement here.

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