On Monday 10th February a team of researchers and experts by experience from the NIHR funded Heads Together project ran an online webinar for policy makers across the UK to come together and discuss the societal and economic impact of acquired brain injury. The day consisted of outlining the journey that people with ABI go through after injury, through hospital services and into the community.

This week (15th — 21st May) is both Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Awareness week and Mental health Awareness week. The theme of ABI week this year is every 90 seconds. This connects with the research conducted by Headway UK that demonstrates that every 90 seconds someone in the UK is admitted to hospital with a brain injury. The theme of mental health awareness week is anxiety.

Last week on the 4th November, the UK acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF) hosted their annual Time for Change summit in Manchester. This long established event aims to raise awareness of the need to address issues around brain injury at a local and national level. This year many of the team from Anchor Point were present to listen to the talks and to present their own work.

Shaftesbury Icanho specialises in acquired brain injury community rehabilitation for adults living across Suffolk who have sustained an acquired brain injury or stroke. We are a multi-disciplinary team that aims to provide a “whole family approach” for the rehabilitation of the person who has experienced the brain injury.

When a loved one sustains an acquired brain injury (ABI), it can be an overwhelming and traumatic experience for their family. The role of acute care staff extends beyond to providing crucial support and guidance to their families during this difficult time. Here are some ways healthcare professionals can help at this stage of the journey:

In the UK, where the incidence of ABI remains high, it is crucial that the government in power has a robust and compassionate approach to healthcare and social support systems. On the lead up to the general election, Anchor Point showcased the manifestos of the major political parties to understand how they may support #FamilesAfterBrainInjury.

As the UK gears up for its next general election, it’s crucial to address the pressing issues faced by families dealing with the aftermath of brain injuries. Brain injuries not only impact individuals but also ripple through their families, affecting every aspect of their lives.

It took a casual conversation with my friend’s Mum about what I’m up to these days, to make me realise that I’m no longer a wife, but a carer and that my once interesting life rich with travel, hobbies, and interests, has shrunk down to doing my job, housework and running around after my husband. I felt ashamed and close to tears having to admit that all that remains is my love of books because I can manage to fit a bit of reading in round everything else.

Over the last several months Anchor Point has been posting about the need for the release of the ABI government strategy. As time goes on, we become ever more eager to understand the information that may be contained within this document. It is imperative that family members are included and recognized in terms of the contribution that they provide to supporting individuals with acquired brain injury.

I was summoned out of sleep by a ringing phone at 2am one morning to be told to get myself to the hospital where my husband was in A&E after a fall which had caused a serious brain injury. Fifteen years on, I still think about it — after all, while I wasn’t the one that fell and damaged my brain, the change to my husband was significant in ways that affected me and our life together.

Previously I have written blogs about the eagerly anticipated ABI strategy. The latest news on this, which will come as no surprise to anyone given the date today, is that the strategy report will not be published this side of Christmas. Furthermore, due to cabinet reshuffles, there is yet another new minster in charge of the process. Progress has been slow and frustrating and certainly there is a feeling that the outcome may not be all we had hoped for.

Our second Annual general meeting took place on Thursday 12th October. There was a short report on the progress made over the last year by each of the seven individual working groups. The People group has now been chnaged to the Practice group to better reflect the group’s aims of understanding and promoting the best practice guidelines for the various health professionals who work with families after ABI.

As many people will already know, we here at Anchor Point are looking forward to the publication of the long-awaited ABI Government strategy. We still don’t know when this will take place, but it is anticipated before the end of the year. So why are we so keen on having an ABI government strategy and why is it so important for families?

In a recent Anchor Point meeting we had an important conversation about what the key message would need to be for professionals about life after brain injury for families. One of the really important points that came from that meeting linked to the idea of secondary impact.

There are very few people in the professional world of brain injury who aren’t aware of the current Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) strategy that is being worked on by Government. For those outside of the professional world, it is possible this is something that you have missed. The process of getting a strategy has been ongoing since 2021 and the report is due to be published ‘shortly’ according to Liz Truss, MP talking to NR Times in July.

Within Anchor Point there are a series of different ‘working groups’ that focus on specific activities. One of these is the research group. This consists of a small number of individuals who are actively engaged in research within the area of brain injury, with a specific focus on family members. So what has the research field in this area got to say?

This week (5th June — 9th June) is National Carer’s week. The theme for this year’s week is ‘visible, valued and supported.’ Through my work with Anchor Point and my work as a psychotherapist supporting family members whose loved one has had a brain injury, I know that the term ‘carer’ can seem quite contentious for them. The term carer doesn’t sit comfortably with family members a lot of the time, but after brain injury it can be even more complex.