Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones MP visits the Centre for Injury Studies to see cutting-edge research in veteran healthcare.
Hosted by Professor Anthony Bull, the Minister learned more about the Centre for Injury Studies and its work to support veterans' healthcare. The Minister also heard how the Centre is utilising the Veterans' Affairs Health Innovation Fund, run by the Office for Veterans' Affairs with the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), to better meet veterans' physical and mental health needs.
The Centre for Injury Studies aims to improve prediction, protection, treatment, and rehabilitation of all types of traumatic injuries. The Centre is interdisciplinary, bringing together engineers, scientists and clinicians to better understand traumatic injuries and how protective equipment can prevent them.
Professors Spyros Masouros, Shehan Hettiaratchy and Arul Ramasamy explained the Centre's work, highlighting its clinical priorities in musculoskeletal and brain injuries, which are significant healthcare issues for both military personnel and civilians.
Dr Angela Kedgley led a tour of the Centre's labs where the Minister saw demonstrations of projects designed to protect, diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate veterans after trauma-related injuries from conflict. This included a demonstration of a machine simulating the creation of combat injuries to study how effective protection can limit injuries. Dr Andrew Philips also presented his work on rehabilitation of military amputees.
ADVANCE Study – supporting veterans with long-term health and welfare
One of the Centre's focus areas is supporting the health of those who have served in the Armed Forces, by understanding the impact of injuries sustained during service and how quality of life can be improved through treatment, rehabilitation and recovery.
Professor Bull highlighted the ADVANCE Study, a longitudinal cohort study investigating veterans' long-term health and welfare. The study has been established to evaluate the clinical, biological, and psychosocial outcomes of major combat injuries.
As a lifetime cohort study, ADVANCE offers a uniquely comprehensive understanding of the long-term outcomes of blast and other battlefield trauma. The knowledge gained through the study helps to ensure the best possible care for current and future injured service personnel. It also facilitates learning for future conflicts and enables appropriate support for injured personnel and their families.
The ADVANCE Study is a collaboration between Imperial, King's College London and ADMR, Stanford Hall.
The Minister also met with veteran Matt Weston who shared his lived experience on veterans' health and participation in ADVANCE and OpRESTORE, an NHS service that supports veterans with continuing physical health injuries.
Veteran's Health Innovation Fund – research and innovation to improve veterans' health
The Veteran's Health Innovation Fund run by the Office for Veterans' Affairs with the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is a £5 million scheme which supports the development of technologies, interventions and treatments to meet veterans' physical and mental health needs.
Imperial has been awarded funding through the Veterans' Health Innovation Fund for projects focused on advancing prosthetics and rehabilitation for amputee veterans, including one project associated with ADVANCE.
