Poppy Smith Wins Institute of Healthcare Engineering Workshop Award

The award provides £2,500, which will be used to fund the 2023 Nerve Injury Community Day, a PPI event Poppy is leading as a collaboration between researchers, clinicians and people living with nerve injury on the 18th November 2023.

In the hope of making the occasion accessible to all, the event is free with no incoming funds to support the event.

Poppy said: “I was thrilled to hear my application to the Institute of Healthcare Engineering Workshop Award had been successful.  

‘What made me even happier was finding out I’d won the full £2,500 which meant we could contribute towards the travel costs of those who wouldn’t be able to attend otherwise.”

The 2019 Nerve Injury Community Day was a great success but with the disruption caused by the pandemic, the community has not been able to meet since. Poppy then took the responsibility of leading this year’s Nerve Injury Community Day.

"The 2019 Community Day brought together people living with and working on nerve injuries. This provided a platform for those who live with a nerve injury to share their story, listen to the experiences of others, and feel less alone in their journey. During the day, those with nerve injuries had the opportunity to talk to clinicians and researchers who specialise in nerve injury. For the researchers and clinicians, this event provided an opportunity to engage with and listen to those their work was set to impact, thereby influencing the direction of research, and ensuring it would bring about the greatest improvement in patient care possible."

Nerve injuries, typically caused by road traffic collisions and other traumatic accidents, have a sudden, greatly debilitating effect on the person’s quality of life, often resulting in long-term pain and reduced movement and/or feeling to the damaged part of the body. Despite the significant impact of nerve injuries, those living with nerve injuries are underserved by national organising bodies and charities.

Poppy is based at the Nerve Engineering Lab led by James Phillips, UCL Centre for Nerve Engineering, UCL School of Pharmacy.

To attend the Nerve Injury Community Day, please click here.