Michelle Donald

In addition to working at The North West Regional Spinal Injury Centre, Southport and The Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries, Oswestry ( I work with Private Case Managers and run training sessions to enable HCP’s to open up conversations around sexual issues. I will write reports for legal teams on request.

My expertise lies in the areas of sexual issues related to spinal cord injury and the issues that a SCI may bring with it.
I feel it is necessary to address the issue of how important sexuality is after a spinal cord injury, in that this aspect of the relationship shared by a couple, is often neglected, with the focus being on the physical dysfunction. I am becoming more involved in encouraging spinal centres to help incorporate ideas for change and presenting this information to all the staff to allow them to think about what is achievable within the short space of time that patients are in spinal centres and how sexual rehabilitation can be effectively integrated during that period. An article I was involved with has recenly been published in Spinal Cord Journal – Women’s experiences of sexuality after spinal cord injury:a UK perspective.
I deliver training around sexuality and relationships, illness, disability, and carer support to relevant groups and institutions nationwide. Something I believe is hugely ignored and is difficult for individual staff to know how to work with.
I work as a volunteer with SHADA the sexual health and disability alliance and in addition, I am a mentor for ‘The Back Up Trust,’ a national charity that runs a range of services for people with spinal cord injury.
https://www.jmw.co.uk/services-for-you/clinical-negligence/spinal-injury-claims/cauda-equina/how-cauda-equina-syndrome-affects-relationships
https://rdcu.be/b5pdW