The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh visit National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust welcomed Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, along with the Lord-Lieutenant and High Sheriff, to the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) today to visit patients and staff as part of its 80th anniversary celebrations.
The Duke, who is Patron of the British Paralympic Association, and Duchess received a warm reception from patients and staff in the NSIC reception while also learning more about the heritage of the centre, being the birthplace of the Paralympics, from Mr Maurizio Belci, consultant in Spinal Cord Injuries.
They also spent time in the Trust’s state-of-the-art Upper Limb Studio with patients and visited children and young people on St Francis ward during their rehabilitation sessions. The NSIC is the only NHS spinal cord injury centre in the country with a dedicated children’s ward and Upper Limb Studio.
The Duke and Duchess finished their visit in Horatio’s Garden where they spent time with current patients and staff along with the charity’s co-founders Dr Olivia Chapple and Mr David Chapple.
When unveiling the plaque The Duke of Edinburgh said: “It’s a great pleasure to visit in your special year marking 80 years of the brilliant work of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. It’s brilliant to meet so many of the staff who are so dedicated and passionate – thank you for all the work that you do in giving so many people the chance to be able to move on with their lives and have a positive future. My wife and I often have the added pleasure of meeting some of those you’ve supported who have gone on to do extraordinary things in the Paralympic Games, maintaining that tradition which started here all those years ago.”
Neil Macdonald, Chief Executive of the Trust said: “We were delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses to the NSIC today to continue the 80th anniversary celebrations. To be able to showcase our internationally recognised centre with our wonderful colleagues and patients made me immensely proud. I’d like to thank The Duke and Duchess for visiting and seeing what a truly remarkable place the NSIC is.”
