Latest news with #SarahRennie
BBC News
23-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'My mission to get myself weighed ended on some scrapyard scales'
Dave Eastham could not believe what it had come to, when he arrived at a scrapyard in north Manchester in search of scales to find out his 30-year-old has used a wheelchair since injuring his spine in a traffic accident a decade ago, and wanted to know if his exercise routines were helping to build muscle mass during a Covid fitness had called several hospitals trying to find accessible scales, he says, without any luck. He'd also called several vet surgeries, and had even attempted to get on the scales at his local Pets at Home store, which he had to wheelie onto - all without run out of the options that most people can do at home, at the gym or during routine medical appointments, Dave decided to "take matters into my own hands" and ask the local scrapyard if he could use the large scales they usually use for metal and other experience was "degrading", he lots of disabled people, knowing an accurate body weight is crucial for lack of accessible weighing scales for many disabled people around the country hit headlines in the last week, after wheelchair user Sarah Rennie was advised by her local NHS trust to use a weighing scale designed for animals at Pets At said the episode was "dehumanising". The trust has since apologised."It just shows how hard it is now to exist with accessibility needs," Sarah says."There are serious consequences to overlooking something as basic as access to understanding changes to your body." Dave says he was nervous about the reaction that he might get from the young men working at the scrapyard, but says they were brilliant with had to do a difficult transfer to lift himself onto the scales, which are designed for scrap mental, not humans."It probably wasn't good for my skin, the scales were full of copper and debris," Dave says, adding that it was only possible because of his fitness levels."Although it wasn't a bad experience, it wasn't something I wanted," he says he had tried to contact several local hospitals in his attempts to get himself an accurate weight, though without an appointment. One of them, North Manchester General Hospital, run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said all patients who are referred to them and require accessible scales can access them as part of their care."We recognise how important it is for individuals to be able to monitor their health and remain committed to making our services as inclusive and accessible as possible for our patients," a spokesperson added. 'Not entirely surprised' Dr Hannah Barham-Brown, a GP and disability expert, says she was "horrified" to hear about the experiences of Dave and Sarah - "but sadly not entirely surprised".She says knowing the weight of patients is important for a "whole range of reasons", including providing accurate medicine dosages and assessing eligibility for certain treatments and Barham-Brown says it's "impossible to know" how many accessible scales are available across the NHS."These scales certainly aren't widely available, which is a travesty and means wheelchair users face unnecessary health inequalities," she says."We see similar issues with limited access to hoists in GP practices, meaning that hoist-dependent wheelchair users are unable to have routine screening and examinations, such as cervical screening."An NHS spokesperson said: "We expect NHS organisations to provide reasonable adjustments for patients to ensure equitable access to services, including access to weighing equipment." Gary Dawson, from the Spinal Injuries Association, says experiences like Dave's and Sarah's are "unacceptable and humiliating", adding that accessible scales are also "shockingly" limited for other disabled people living across the says this is not the first time he has heard of people resorting to using scales at scrapyards, as well as garages and equestrian centres, to get says weight management is crucial for those living with disabilities to keep on top of their Naik, from Muscular Dystrophy UK, says that they have also had calls to their helpline highlighting the lack of suitable weighing equipment in hospitals around the a problem that many disability campaigners are doing their best to Wood, a speech and language therapist from York, did a sponsored wheelchair walk with other volunteers back in 2011, to raise money for accessible scales in the scales are still used "almost daily", Andy says, and have been an "incredible benefit" to people in the now works in a spinal injuries centre supporting people with similar injuries to his own, which means he can use the scales there, but knows that "everyone else isn't in that position".Many people have to drive long distances to get to the centre, Dave says, adding that he thinks accessible scales should be available for all wheelchair users close to where they live."Everyone likes to look after themselves. If you can weigh yourself, it can help get you into stuff like sports and keep you motivated," he says."It's about that self-pride."
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
People horrified after disabled woman claims NHS sent her to be weighed at a pet shop
A disabled woman has claimed she was left in a state of disbelief when NHS staff told het to go to a pet shop to be weighed. Shropshire-based Sarah Rennie, who documents her life as a 'proud' disabled person on TikTok, told viewers she had been directed to a Pets at Home store to be weighed by The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry. Fellow TikTokers were outraged by the NHS's blithe advice, with one branding Sarah's experience 'horrific'. The accessibility and inclusion specialist and trainer, who goes by 'sarahvbarriers' on the platform, explained she's often asked for her 'accurate weight' by medical staff. Wheelchair user Sarah is required to report her weight so doctors and nurses can make sure that she is on the correct medication at the right dose and that her lifting equipment is able to properly support her. In the clip, which has been viewed more than 200,000 times, Sarah said: 'I can't believe this just happened. 'The NHS has just referred me to a pet shop. 'As a disabled person [on] medication [and with] lots of lifting equipment, I'm often asked my accurate weight. 'I need to get weighed because I can't stand or walk.' Sarah explained that because she is unable to stand or walk, finding out her weight is slightly more complicated. She added: 'This means that I either need to have a hoist that's got weighing scales or I need to be able to roll onto a scales in my wheelchair and subtract the weight of the wheelchair.' In the minute-long video, Sarah, a member of the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board, tells viewers she's been unable to find any NHS facilities in her area that are equipped to weigh her. 'The wheelchair service no longer offers a weighing facility,' she said. Sarah was shocked when 'a very nice lady' associated with her surgery suggested she go on local radio to see if any local factory owners might have the kind of equipment that would allow her to be weighed - but worse was still to come. Explaining that she was advised to go to The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, which is a 40-minute drive from her home, Sarah thought it was worth checking that the hospital would be able to help her before setting off. But, in a typed response which Sarah added to the TikTok video, she was told to 'access community-based weighing options, including facilities such as "Pets at Home".' Sarah, who was clearly in a state of disbelief, added: 'I've just had this response: "We advise patients to go to Pets at Home". Do I look like a chipmunk?!' The clip amassed 580 comments in a matter of three days, with the majority of fellow TikTok users sharing Sarah's shock and disappointment. One person wrote: 'That is horrific.' The TikToker advised: 'Although if you are stuck, Shropshire Council have a list of public weighbridges which are very accurate.' Another outraged user said: 'I work in a nursing home, does the NHS hospital not have a SINGLE hoist sling in the entire hospital?' A third person added: 'What? That's awful! I go to my local gym, they have a big platform weighing scales which I transfer onto'. While a fourth said: 'That is incredibly dehumanising! Being referred to Pets at Home or a factory like you're an animal or some kind of good to be sold?! Also, how can a wheelchair service work without being able to weigh people?' A fifth person commented: 'Outrageous! Shropshire-based myself, this is just... I'm lost for words. Reposted to raise awareness!' Fellow TikTokers were quick to comment on Sarah's experience, with the vast majority sharing her dismay at the NHS's directive Yet not everyone agreed that Sarah was right to be dismayed by the NHS hospital's suggestion that she go to a Pets at Home store to be weighed. One person said: 'At least they've found you somewhere'. Yet another user disagreed, writing beneath the comment: 'They haven't though. Pets at Home do not have roll on scales and she's not a dog'. Someone else added: 'Honestly don't get the issue here, it's a convenient and cost--effective alternative. 'You presumably live in a rural area where they don't have the facilities, or money for the facilities, locally, so either travel hours out your way to a major care centre or improvise'. When approached for comment, a spokesperson from NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, on behalf of the local health and care system, said: 'We would like to apologise to Ms Rennie for any upset or offence caused. 'Although we are unable to comment on individual cases, we are continuing to look into her experience to fully understand the wider issues and identify what can be done for her, and others, in similar situations.'
The Independent
16-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
NHS trust tells wheelchair user to go to Pets at Home to be weighed
An NHS trust has apologised after staff told a wheelchair user she would have to go to a pet shop to be weighed. Sarah Rennie said that at first she laughed when health bosses in Shropshire advised her to go to Pets At Home because the suggestion was so absurd. But she said: 'Then it dawned on me that's not acceptable and it shows services everyone else can access aren't possible for disabled people.' Ms Rennie, 39, from Shrewsbury, who has muscle-wasting, needs to be weighed to monitor her medication and exercise and to ensure her weight remains stable. Her difficulty began after she moved to Shropshire from Birmingham last year, and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust told her it was no longer commissioned to run its weighing clinic, which closed after the Covid pandemic. 'The rehabilitation service has now been utilised by other services and clients can be weighed when attending a clinic appointment only,' an email reply to her from the trust read. The Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries later said it encouraged her to do the same as its patients on discharge – 'access community-based weighing options, including facilities such as Pets at Home, where they can roll onto the scales'. But Ms Rennie, a freelance transport consultant, said she would not put herself through the dehumanising experience of going to Pets at Home and would continue to battle for disabled people who are 'invisible in the system'. The trust was forced to apologise for offence caused by incident, but Ms Rennie called for it to be honest about its lack of facilities. 'I can't go to my GP surgery for a cervical smear because they don't have a hoist and I'm OK with that but I'm not OK with pretending services are there that don't exist,' she said. 'Weight is a key indicator of health for people who are immobile so to be able to access that information about our bodies is really important,' she told The Independent. She cannot stand or walk so is unable to transfer to a different type of seat. 'I don't blame individuals, it demonstrates the institutional lack of regard for the quality of our lives. I blame the policymakers.' Before moving, Ms Rennie bought a set of scales designed for weighing animals for about £50, but stopped using them because they were not designed for use with her equipment and her personal assistant would have to be insured to use them. She says hospital wards may have weighing facilities, but she doubts whether they would allow the public to walk in and use them. 'I don't think any private facilities would be comfortable with that,' she said. 'There's a privacy issue, and insurance to consider. 'This is an example of wider institutional health inequalities for disabled people, particularly women. 'In hospital the number of older people unable to transfer is higher than you think. Families are helping them transfer so they're not a visible part of the community so we're just constantly being forgotten.' In a TikTok video she said: 'A very nice lady connected to my surgery suggested I go on local radio and see if any factory owners could help me.' She added: 'Do I look like a chipmunk?' A spokesperson from NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, on behalf of the local health and care system, said: 'We would like to apologise to Ms Rennie for any upset or offence caused. 'We are unable to comment on individual cases however, we are continuing to look into her experience to fully understand the wider issues and identify what can be done for her, and others, in similar situations.'
AU Financial Review
08-05-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Investment banker Aidan Allen steps up as Jarden executive chair
Trans Tasman investment bank Jarden has reshuffled its leadership, elevating Aidan Allen to executive chairman, as it marks five years in the Australian market and declares itself ready to evolve into a 'partnership model' with senior dealmakers. Sarah Rennie, who has been co-chief executive with Allen for the past two years, and New Zealand-based equities boss Dan Reynolds will lead the business, which is aiming to flatten its leadership structure and free up rainmakers to do deals.
