Acquired Brain Injury & Neurorehabilitation: Time for Change

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is a leading cause of death and disability in the United Kingdom (UK). It is a chronic condition with ‘hidden’ disabilities and life-long consequences.

The excellent advances in emergency and acute medicine mean that many more children, young people and adults now survive with an ABI, however, many of these individuals require early and continued access to neurorehabilitation to optimise their recovery and maximise their long-term potential. 

ABI is a hidden epidemic affecting many hundreds of thousands of people. It impacts on so many government departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the Ministry of Justice, that the Government has to work in a co-ordinated and consistent way.

The Government should bring together a task-force to address all the issues and recommendations as a matter of urgency. The APPG on ABI intends to unite these departments in driving change for brain injury survivors.

 

Summary of Key Recommendations 

• Rehabilitation Prescriptions should be available to all individuals with an Acquired Brain Injury on discharge from acute care, held by the individual with copies made available to the general practitioner
• All education professionals should have a minimum level of awareness and understanding about Acquired Brain Injury and the educational requirements of children and young people with this condition (i.e. completion of a short online course for all school-based staff). Additional training should be provided for the named lead professional who supports the individual with Acquired Brain Injury, and for Special Educational Needs Coordinators 
• Training and information about Acquired Brain Injury is required across all services including the police, court, probation and prison services
• The Government should ensure that there is collaborative research to evaluate and improve practical assessment tools, develop objective diagnostic markers and gain a deeper understanding of the recovery process and long-term risks of sport-related concussion 
• All benefits assessors should be trained to understand the problems that affect individuals with an Acquired Brain Injury 

 

Read the full report