Craig Mackinlay, “Bionic Lord,” Advocates for Improved Limb Loss Care

Craig Mackinlay, known as the “Bionic lord,” who experienced the loss of his hands and feet due to sepsis, has met with the health secretary to champion enhanced limb loss support from the NHS. Lord Mackinlay of Richborough attended the discussion alongside Paralympic gold medallist Richard Whitehead and 10-year-old Tony Hudgell, who lost his legs after enduring abuse from his biological parents. This gathering, which took place on Tuesday, was arranged after the former Kent MP was moved by narratives from the Paralympic Games and by learning about Tony’s personal story. According to Lord Mackinlay, Health Secretary Wes Streeting “listened intently” during the meeting. Mackinlay expressed his hope that Streeting would now “look very carefully at what NHS England should be providing.” Following the discussion, which occurred at the House of Lords, he further stated, “Not just for kit, but also helping people get back to work, with their mental health and to feel like whole human beings again.” He also emphasized the “fundamentally important” role of individuals with limb loss in sharing their experiences directly with Mr. Streeting, remarking, “It’s all very well reading reports; it’s nothing like seeing people.” Lord Mackinlay was required to relearn walking with prosthetic limbs after his hands and feet became “black” and necessitated amputation following his contraction of sepsis in September of the previous year. Paula Hudgell, Tony’s mother from West Malling, commented: “We’re just glad to be on board. “Hopefully we can really make some change within the prosthetic industry for NHS England and give everybody who needs a prosthetic limb of some sort the best they can have.” A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care stated: “We thank Lord Mackinlay for his work raising awareness of the dangers of sepsis and the transformational potential of high-quality prosthetics.” They further added, “We want to provide the best possible care for people living with limb loss.” The spokesperson also mentioned that the department is allocating funds for research aimed at enhancing outcomes for individuals who have survived sepsis, facilitated by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. For more updates, follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story submissions can be sent to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.