Rehabilitation after Acquired Brain Injury. A Northern Perspective. John P McCann. Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine. Green Park Healthcare Trust.

Demographics Population 1.7 million Stable population base Dept. Health Social Services and Public Safety Four Area Health Boards Regional Medical Services Consortium Mixed regional and local commissioning

Acquired Brain Injury Acute onset non progressive brain injury. Trauma Vascular Accident Cerebral Hypoxia Toxic/Metabolic Insult Infection

Definitions of Rehabilitation Conceptual: A process of active change by which a person who has become disabled acquires the knowledge and skills needed for optimal physical, psychological and social function. Service: The use of all means to minimise the impact of disabling conditions and to assist disabled persons achieve their desired level of autonomy and participation in society.

Epidemiology of A B I Stroke. <65y.o. 20/ N.I. ~ 300 S A H. ~8500/yr. N.I. ~ 200 Head Injury. ~275/ N.I. ~ 4000 Mod-severe. 25/ N.I. ~ Severe disability/prolonged coma Good physical recovery.

N.I. Audit A & E attendances adults admitted. 871 children admitted. 257 referred to NSU in 6/12 period. 195 adults. 62 children. 87 adults admitted. 34 NSU/53 RICU. 22 children admitted.

Admissions to hospital. District General Hospital 116 (45%) RICU 53 (21%) NSU 34 (13%) DGH ICU 15 (6%) RBHSC 13 (5%) PICU 9 (4%) No Info 15 (6%)

Background Documentation Royal College Surgeons England. Working Party on Management of Patients with Head Injuries. June Royal College of Physicians / BSRM. Rehabilitation following acquired brain injury. National clinical guidelines National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions. March 2005.

Principles and organisation of services Every patient with ABI should have access to specialist neurological rehabilitation services. Covering all phases from acute management through medium term rehabilitation to long term support. For as long as required, which may be life long.

Prinicples and organisation. Specialist neurorehabilitation services for persons with ABI should meet published standards, and comprise the following. A coordinated interdisciplinary team of all the relevant clinical disciplines. Staff with specialist expertise in the management of ABI including a consultant specialist in Rehabilitation Medicine.

Transfer to Rehabilitation Patients still in hospital > 48 hours with impaired consciousness or mobility should be reviewed as soon as possible by a rehabilitation team. Severely brain injured patients still in coma should be referred to a specialist ABI unit where their continued acute care may be supplemented by an interdisciplinary rehab. team

Transfer to Rehabilitation Patients requiring post-acute inpatient rehabilitation should be transferred to a specialist post-acute rehabilitation unit as soon as they are medically stable and fit to participate in rehabilitation.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Services Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit Thompson House Maine Villa Spruce House

Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit. Opened May Beds Flexibility of accommodation Integrated outpatient service Early transfer from acute units Working relationships with other providers Interdisciplinary team structure

20+ Years a coming Medical Rehabilitation. Report of a Working Party Sloan Report Business Case for R.R.U. submitted to Management Executive Social Services Inspectorate. Symposium and Workshop on TBI RMSC Report on ABI Rehab.

Regional Strategy Dept. should undertake to resolve with Boards the provision of Rehabilitation services for persons with T B I. Development of locally sensitive hospital and community services and establish a Regional Rehabilitation Unit.

Priorities for Action 2001/2002 Boards and Trusts should finalise a Business Case for a Regional TBI Unit by December Agreement that Greenpark should lead development of Business Case. Sept Outline Case submitted Dec Capital funding announced.

Thompson House Hospital Down and Lisburn Trust Young disabled unit Slow stream neurorehabilitation 6-8 Brain injury rehab beds. Low level consciousness patients Shares base with community brain injury team

Maine Villa Stand alone within psychiatric unit Locked facility beds Challenging behaviour No female patients Linked to Mourne project Limks with community team

Spruce House New build on acute hospital site Slow stream rehabilitation and respite Limited therapy input 6-8 brain injury beds Links to community team Potential step down facility

Rehabilitation Service Networks These networks should include; Specialist regional service to meet the needs of more complex cases and provide specialist training and guidance for other professionals involved in the care of patients with ABI. Local hospital and community rehabilitation teams

Rehabilitation Service Networks Patients can be transferred between different services without any bureaucratic delays. There is close communication between local hospital, community and regional services to provide a seamless continuum of care. Patients with complex needs are able to regain access to specialised services as their needs dictate.

Rehabilitation Service Networks Social services to provide continued support for the individual and their family within the home setting. Voluntary agencies providing support, information and activities. Specialist brain injury vocational rehabilitation services.

Rehabilitation Service Networks Strategic Health Authorities should ensure that a managed network of specialised rehab. services is planned over a geographical area with collaborative commissioning of regional services.

ANetwork? R A B I U Thompson House Maine Villa Spruce House R A B I U Mourne project Community Brain injury rehab teams in each Area Board

Timing, intensity and duration of treatment. Following acute ABI patients should; Be transferred as soon as possible to a rehabilitation programme of appropriate intensity to meet their needs. Receive as much therapy as they need, can be given and find tolerable. Be given as much opportunity as possible to practise skills outside formal therapy sessions.

Timing, intensity and duration of treatment. After the post-acute phase, continued rehabilitation in the community should move progressively from formal therapy to a guided and supported resumption of chosen activities over months and years. There should be recognition of the need for life-long contact to meet the changing clinical, social and psychological needs of patients and carers.

Discharge Planning Inpatient rehabilitation should continue while the patient requires the facilities, skills and therapeutic intensity of a specialist rehabilitation unit in order to make progress or while thee hospital environment is needed in order to maintain safety. Patients may be transferred back to the community once any specialist rehabilitation and support needed can be continued in that environment without delay.

Continuing care and support Patients with significant ABI should have long term access to an individual or team with experience in management of ABI. Care services should be provided by skilled workers trained in the needs of ABI patients Patients with complex needs after ABI should have joint assessment by health and social services, with ongoing review and re- assessment Access to regional services is needed to supplement local service provision.

Outpatient/Community Services RABIU Mourne Project Down & Lisburn B.I.T UCHT B.I.T. N & W Belfast. B.I.T. S & E Belfast. B.I.T NHSSB CABIRS. SHSSB. A.B.I.T. WHSSB. B.I.T

Vocational Rehabilitation CEDAR Foundation. Vocational and pre-vocational rehabilitation services in each of N.I. Area Health Boards Reconnect. Provision of services for persons in Greater Belfast Area.

No man is an Island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main…………. Any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee. John Donne Meditation XVII

Carers and families Rehabilitation services should be alert to the likely strain on families/carers and, in particular the needs of children in the family Patients and their families/carers should be considered with regard to treatment and care options and should be involved in planning of the patients specific rehabilitation programme, negotiating appropriate goals, and in decisions regarding their care.

Carers and families Families of patients with ABI should be offered timely; Information and education about ABI, and local and national services and support groups. Referral to social services regarding their own needs. Assistance with the benefits system. Support and counselling, which should be available long-term, provided by professionals experienced in ABI management.

Carers and families And where appropriate; The opportunity to learn skills, techniques and routine necessary to maintain rehabilitation games. Information about the process of compensation for personal injury and approved sources of information concerning legal assistance.

Support Organisations Headway Belfast. Social Reintegration and Family Support Services. Headway Ballymena. Headway Londonderry Headway EnnisRone Headway Southern Region.

Unresolved Issues Minor Brain Injury Patients managed within DGH Children with ABI Transition services Step down units Community care Long term neurobehavioural management

Future challenges Review of Public Administration Combined hospital and community Trusts Reduction in number of Trusts Locality based commissioning Service network development European expansion

European matters. Increase in size of European Union Accession states / economic migration Language Culture No family network Longer term placement Long term support