Conference calls for reclamation of hope with proposed brain injury strategy for families
A renewed focus on advancing the government’s proposed Acquired Brain Injury Strategy and the involvement of families within it was the leading call from a sold-out brain injury professional conference in Oxford.
With the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury re-established in March and planning on revitalising the proposed cross-department strategy on acquired brain injury, leading brain injury conference Ahead Together discussed the latest on the governmental strategy and reaffirmed calls to continue pushing for the strategy’s roll out.
The conference, co-created by Dr Audrey Daisley and Tracy Norris-Evans and organised by injury specialist law firm RWK Goodman, brought together family members and brain injury professionals at Oxford’s Rhodes House to explore the relational, clinical, and legal dimensions of brain injury as well as the latest research.
Executive Director of the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum Chloe Hayward provided an update on the progress of the proposed strategy to more than 180 delegates, noting a change in government and national economic factors had impacted the development and agreement of a strategy.
The conference comes as UKABIF releases a report on the economic costs to the UK of acquired brain injuries, which has been estimated to total £43bn annually. The report also highlights additional costs and societal impact stemming from the involvement of unpaid work of carers, volunteers, family members such as the depletion of time to provide for other work and family commitments and additional pressure on mental and physical health for carers.
Attendees were encouraged to maintain engagement with the process and to advocate for the inclusion of families in the strategy, such as lobbying their local MP in order to bring the proposed strategy to fruition.
Tracy Norris-Evans, partner and head of RWK Goodman’s Injury division, said: “We work with numerous families of brain injury survivors who have told us that hope, a vital element of working through the lived experience of an acquired brain injury, can often be lacking in the rehabilitation process. Forging hope for families ignites renewed possibilities despite the challenges of brain injury. This includes hope for services that understand and support whole families, not just individuals.
“The proposed implementation of a strategy by the government for those with acquired brain injuries marks a step in the right direction to ensure access to effective rehabilitation, support in the justice system and education, and consistent services across the country, but it is so important that families and their lived experiences are also at the centre of this, as the impact of an acquired brain injury stretches far beyond the individual.
“Bringing more voices into the mix and ensuring these experiences are counted for is crucial, and we’re proud to be advocating for that inclusion as part of our Ahead Together conference which remains the only conference dedicated entirely to families after brain injury.”
Dr Audrey Daisley, consultant clinical neuropsychologist from Connect Neuropsychology, said: “This year’s conference was meaningful and transformative, and it was a pleasure to be able to discuss the importance of hope alongside the top advocates and thought leaders in the brain injury sector.”
This year’s event focused on the theme of ‘Reclaiming Hope’ for families, with family speakers sharing their lived experience, as well as professional speakers including NHS palliative care doctor and Sunday Times bestseller Dr Rachel Clarke.
