Chris Bryant Awarded Knighthood

Chris Bryant has been awarded a knighthood for his work with brain injury and melanoma charities as well as the Magnitsky sanctions and phone hacking as stated in the New Year’s honours list released tonight.

For the past five years Chris has worked closely with UKABIF and other charities and organisations in the brain injury community to ensure there is increased awareness of the condition in parliament.

Chris agreed to Chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group for acquired brain injury in 2017 and a year later hosted an event to publish the APPG’s Report entitled Acquired Brain Injury and Neurorehabilitation: Time for Change. The report focussed on a number of areas and outlined key recommendations for change. Since then, UKABIF has developed a series of working parties aiming to bring the recommendations to fruition.

Chris has been consistent and persistent in his drive to improve access to neurorehabilitation as well as highlighting the need for improved access to training and information in a number of professions. He has met with numerous Ministers and officials, hosted debates and round tables and asked questions in parliament on a range of issues.

Last year Chris developed a Private Members Bill which resulted in the Government agreeing to develop a strategy for acquired brain injury. The strategy seeks to involve a broad range of government departments reflecting the complexity and breadth of issues which face those who have suffered from a brain injury and their families.

Speaking to Chris Bryant today he said, ‘I am amazed. Many others who work in brain injury deserve this far more than I do but it will definitely spur me on to get a national brain injury strategy in place this year’

Chloe Hayward, UKABIF’s Executive Director said, ‘On behalf of everyone who has suffered from a brain injury their families and carers, those working professionally as clinicians, academics, case managers, lawyers and in social care we would like to congratulate Chris on this honour. It is so well deserved - we could not ask for a better advocate in parliament to help us raise these important issues. We are looking forward to seeing the publication of the strategy in 2023 and are working closely with the Public and Patient Voice Representative Group to ensure this piece of work is as widely informed as possible.

If you would like to congratulate Chris please consider tweeting and copy in @RhonddaBryant and @UKABIF.