BSPRM Launches Rehabilitation Nursing Network at 2026 Conference
The British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine launched its new Rehabilitation Nursing Network at the BSPRM 2026 Annual Scientific Conference in Edinburgh on 30 September 2026.
Fifteen colleagues attended the inaugural meeting, bringing together expertise from neurological, spinal cord injury, amputee and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Nurses were joined by colleagues from medicine, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, advanced clinical practice and neurotechnology, establishing a multidisciplinary approach from the outset.
A national voice for rehabilitation nursing
The network has been established to provide a visible and connected community for people with an interest in strengthening rehabilitation nursing. Its shared purpose is:
To connect, develop and champion rehabilitation nurses by sharing knowledge, strengthening professional identity, advancing specialist practice, and raising the profile and impact of nursing within rehabilitation services.
The interactive launch session gave attendees the opportunity to help shape the network’s purpose, priorities and future direction. Members identified several areas in which the network could make a meaningful difference:
- Training and rehabilitation nursing competencies
- Recognition and a stronger professional identity
- Standardisation of quality
- Workforce development and multidisciplinary working
- Advocacy, research and quality improvement
Supporting education and specialist practice
The meeting included a guest presentation from Sandy Gill of the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, focusing on education and training in neurorehabilitation nursing.
The presentation introduced the Neurorehabilitation Nursing Practice module developed by the RHN Academy in partnership with Kingston University. The specialist module provides an accredited route for nurses to develop their knowledge and skills, either as a standalone course or as part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Neuro-disability Nursing Practice.
Discussion highlighted the important contribution that targeted education can make to patient care, professional identity and the development of consistently high standards across rehabilitation services.
From conversation to collective action
The network will now focus on turning the enthusiasm generated at the inaugural meeting into practical opportunities for connection, learning and collaboration.
Its planned areas of activity include:
- Sharing resources, experiences and quality-improvement ideas
- Developing workshops, courses, podcasts and collaborative projects
- Exploring rehabilitation nursing education pathways and shared learning modules
- Promoting development opportunities for colleagues
- Raising the visibility and profile of rehabilitation nursing
- Supporting advocacy and learning from colleagues in Europe and the USA
- Strengthening multidisciplinary representation across the network
Meetings will take place approximately every four months through a combination of online and face-to-face sessions.
Join the Rehabilitation Nursing Network
Although the network has rehabilitation nursing at its heart, membership is not limited to nurses. Colleagues from across the multidisciplinary rehabilitation community are encouraged to get involved, share their experience and help shape its work.
Visit the Rehabilitation Nursing Network webpage to learn more and join the network:
