This is a survey of long-term spinal cord injury patients arising from the lack of knowledge that exists about all aspects of the lives of paraplegic and tetraplegic patients once they leave the intensive care and treatment centres. The main conclusions of the survey are given together with the problems this survey and other research has highlighted. Included are commentaries and recommendations that will be of interest to all those working with the long-term disabled, including social services departments, health visitors, GPs, charities, physicians and nursing staff as well as the disabled themselves.