Paralympian says NHS prosthetics must be improved if Britain is to win more gold

A reigning Paralympic champion has told BBC News that NHS prosthetics must be improved to help produce Britain’s “next generation” of gold medallists.

Speaking ahead of the Paris Paralympics, runner Richard Whitehead said the prosthetics were “not fit for purpose” because they did not allow a full range of movement and could cause discomfort and skin irritation when running.

The NHS does not routinely provide sports prosthetics (also called activity limbs) to adults.

According to NHS England, many physical and fitness activities are possible without a sports-specific prosthesis.

Whitehead, a double above-knee amputee who specialises in marathon running, has won numerous world titles. He is also the proud holder of two Paralympic gold medals over much shorter distances, which he entered because there was no marathon for his disability category.

It’s the many physical and mental benefits that make him want to see more amputees get involved in the sport.

“I would like to see a lot more young people running and climbing trees with sports prosthetics, running blades – I don’t see them,” he told BBC News.

In the United States, if a person with a prosthesis runs a marathon, “it’s not a special occasion,” Whitehead said.

But in the UK, where barriers to sport participation included lack of equipment and high costs, this was still the case.

The cost of lower limb prosthetics varies considerably depending on the type, from £1,000 to over £50,000.

A government fund Introduced in 2017, this means any eligible child can get a sports prosthesis through their local NHS England centre.

But after the age of 18, this funding stops and patients are instead given NHS walking limbs on prescription based on their individual needs, which is why they often drop out of the sport, Whitehead said.

NHS prescriptions were “restrictive” and some patients were even advised to be less physically active so as not to lose their prostheses.

Paralympic world number one obstacle racer Jamie Gane underwent a below-knee amputation in 2016 but it took him some time to get the right prosthetics to take up elite sport.

Shortly after his amputation, Gane was given an NHS-prescribed prosthetic foot which he describes as “useless” as it was too difficult to walk on.

While he waited for further surgery, it would have taken 18 months to get a prosthetic leg fitted that he could walk on, so he paid to have one fitted privately so he could go to the gym and eventually start running.

Once he was able to prove he would use it for sport, Gane was given an NHS one tailored to his fitness level – but he says it didn’t allow him the range of movement he needed.

“I could probably do a few Parkruns and a bit of sport, but I wouldn’t be anywhere near the level I am now,” he says.

But David Rose, of the charity Limbless Association, says technological improvements and increased funding mean the NHS prosthetics service is already helping people achieve more “than they did five to 10 years ago”.

Since losing his leg 45 years ago, Mr Rose has been fitted with numerous NHS prosthetics.

A cricket enthusiast for much of his life, he says the sport was the only thing that kept him going.

And even though he shares Whitehead’s view, “we must make the most of what we have.”

Walid Saleh, 26, who had a leg amputee since he was a teenager, was inspired by Whitehead’s 200m victory at the London Paralympics.

And Whitehead’s charitable foundation is now helping him realise his own dream of competing in the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles by providing him with his first running limbs.

But Saleh says there’s more to being an athlete than winning gold medals – and his mental health has improved since becoming more active.

“Racing blades help me overcome my disability,” he says.

As the 2024 Paralympic Games begin, Whitehead wants his foundation to inspire the next generation.

But he added: “To have the next generation of Paralympians and gold medallists we need to make a change – and that change needs to start with the NHS truly believing in what is best for patients.”

An NHS England official said the NHS provided a range of prosthetics for those who had lost limbs and many physical and fitness activities were possible without a sports-specific prosthesis.

When assessing patients’ suitability for prosthetics or adaptations that would support their fitness and physical activities, health care providers considered a variety of factors, including whether patients had a history of participating in activities and were fit enough to use them, the official added.