MPs and charities urge the Prime Minister to back the Acquired Brain Injury Bill

MPs and acquired brain injury (ABI) charities are visiting Downing Street on Monday 15th November to urge the Prime Minister to back Chris Bryant MP's Acquired Brain Injury Private Members' Bill which hopes to receive its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday 3rd December.

Over 200 MPs, acquired brain injury charities, acquired brain injury survivors and other providers have signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to support Chris Bryant’s Acquired Brain Injury Private Members Bill which commits the government to prepare and publish a strategy to meet the needs of all children and adults with an ABI. 

Signatories to the letter include former government ministers Andrew Mitchell MP, Tracey Crouch MP and Robert Buckland MP and acquired brain injury charities - UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum, Headway, The Disabilities Trust, The Children’s Trust and the Child Brain Injury Trust.

Acquired Brain Injury is a leading cause of death and disability affecting over 1.3 million people and costing £15 billion to the UK economy each year. It is an issue for the Departments of Health and Social Care; Work and Pensions; Education; and Digital, Culture, Media & Sport; and the Ministries of Justice, Defence, Housing Communities and Local Government.

Chris Bryant MP, Chair of the All-party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury and Labour MP for the Rhondda said: “We need to give people back their quality of life after they have had an acquired brain injury. It affects more than one million people in this country and the government must have a plan to ensure every child and adult is properly supported."

"My Bill simply asks the government to prepare and publish a strategy so that there is cross-departmental working to meet the needs of everyone with an acquired brain injury. I know this will make a huge difference to many people and hope the Prime Minister will listen to those affected and take action." 

Peter Freeman, the Treasurer of UKABIF and father of Nicky who sustained a life changing brain injury at the age of 18 said, “It is an honour to join with other charities today to deliver this letter. We have had to fight hard for support for our daughter and believe strongly that a plan is needed to ensure people with acquired brain injury are given access to services and support.”

A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

The Acquired Brain Injury Bill and explanatory notes can be found here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2910/publications

Further information on the campaign can be found at www.abibill.org.uk  

For further information please contact Natasa Pantelic natasa.pantelic@parliament.uk