UKABIF participates in All-Party Parliamentary Group Roundtable on COVID-19

UKABIF participates in All-Party Parliamentary Group Roundtable on COVID-19, Rehabilitation and Neurological Conditions

On December 7th UKABIF joined Epilepsy Action, the MS Society, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, Parkinson’s UK, SUDEP Action and the Neurological Alliance at the first ever joint roundtable of APPGs on neuro conditions.

The Neurological Alliance brought together the All-Party Parliamentary Groups for Acquired Brain Injury, Epilepsy, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Rehabilitation and neurological conditions. 

The meeting was chaired by MPs Simon Hoare and Chris Bryant and included presentations from Georgina Carr, Chief Executive, Neurological Alliance, Prof Adrian Williams, Prof of Neurology at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, NHSE Chair of the Neurosciences CRG and Adine Adonis, Chair Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Neurology. 

Josh Weeks, who suffered a serious brain injury five years ago in a road traffic accident, spoke about his experience of rehabilitation and the impact of lockdown on his therapy. Others who spoke about their experiences included Phil Bungay who has Parkinson's and Andy Laird who has motor neurone disease.

Talks were followed by a discussion about the need for a national strategy and central leadership for rehabilitation, the need for which has been further highlighted by the pandemic.

In addition to the Chairs MPs and Peers attending the meeting included Lords Dubs (Vice Chair, APPG for MS) (Labour Peer) Baroness Gale (Co-Chair, APPG for Parkinson’s) (Labour Peer), Baroness Masham (Vice Chair, APPG on Parkinson’s) (Crossbench Peer), Christine Jardine MP (Officer, APPG for MS; Vice-Chair APPG on MND) (Liberal Democrats), Andrew Lewer MP (Chairman of the APPG on MND) (Conservative), Christina Rees MP (Vice Chair, APPG on Acquired Brain Injury; Vice Chair, APPG for MS) (Labour Co-operative, Wales), Liz Twist MP (Vice Chair, APPG on Acquired Brain Injury and Vice Chair APPG on Muscular Dystrophy) (Labour), Jack Dromey MP (Labour), Tony Lloyd MP (Labour),Samia Hersi, Parliamentary Assistant to Gillian Keegan MP (Conservative)  and James Davies MP.

UKABIF’s Chair Dr Andrew Bateman, Reader in Rehabilitation at the University of Essex and Director of the NIHR Research Design Service, East of England and Vice Chair and Policy and Commissioning Liaison and Amanda Swain joined other invited guests including Rachel Newton, Head of Policy, Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, Bobby Ancil, Head of Health Service Development and Campaigns, Muscular Dystrophy UK, Claire Moser, Policy Adviser, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Sarah Russell, Public Affairs Manager, Headway and Dr Elizabeth Stoppard, Member of Executive Committee and Chair of Education Sub-committee, British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine and a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine in Airedale.

The groups will follow up the actions from the meeting in the new year and these will include requests for a Westminster Hall Debate and parliamentary questions as well as a letter to the NHSE/I National Clinical Director for Rehabilitation.

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