'Bionic lord' to meet health secretary over limb loss

Lord Mackinlay hopes the meeting with the health secretary will raise the importance of limb replacement on the NHS

Lord Mackinlay of Richborough, who lost his hands and feet after a life-threatening episode of sepsis, is to meet the health secretary later to campaign for better limb loss support from the NHS.

Craig Mackinlay will meet Wes Streeting alongside Paralympic gold medallist Richard Whitehead and 10-year-old Tony Hudgell, who lost his legs after suffering abuse from his biological parents.

The meeting was organised after the former Kent MP was inspired by stories from the Paralympic Games, and on hearing about Tony's experience.

He said: "We must seek to do better for a whole host of reasons."

Lord Mackinlay had to learn to walk gain using prosthetic limbs after his hands and feet turned "black" and were amputated after he contracted Sepsis last September.

Speaking to the BBC at the time, he said wanted to be known as the first "bionic MP" after he was fitted with prosthetic legs and hands.

He said he hoped the meeting would highlight the importance of quality limb replacements on the NHS.

He said: “I was fortunate that when I needed to, I could afford quality limb replacements, however we must seek to do better for a whole host of reasons when it comes to what is on offer currently through our NHS.”

In the summer, Mr Whitehead told the BBC that NHS prosthetics needed to improve to help produce Great Britain’s “next generation” of gold medallists.

Speaking ahead of the Paris Paralympics, the athlete said the prosthetics were "not fit for purpose" because they failed to allow for a full range of movement and could cause discomfort and skin irritation when running.

The NHS does not routinely provide sports prosthetics - also known as activity limbs - to adults.

NHS England says many fitness and physical activities are possible without a sports-specific prosthetic

The meeting will take place in the Lords.

Lord Mackinlay told the BBC: “I hope this is the first of many high profile meetings I can have as a Lord to improve the prospects for all those who lose limbs."