The New Zealand Spinal Cord Impairment Action Plan began last month with a national registry that is collecting data on everyone with SCI/D. The registry is the first of eight objects of the plan and is gathering information on people who already have SCI/D and will also compile info on those who become injured. The data includes demographics, details of the injury and information about medical, physical, psychological and social support received.
Using that information, the registry will identify treatments that are most effective and how people are progressing. Services will be evaluated to understand the needs of the patient and ensure that they are being met.
The program is a satellite of the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry in Canada and hopes to collaborate with spinal-cord specialists from around the world.
For more information on the action plan, visit http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/new-zealand-spinal-cord-impairment-action-plan-2014-2019
