Our Services

The team supports and enables people living with a brain injury to lead a full and active life in the community. They provide a range of rehabilitation, advice, and support to meet continuing and changing needs, and where possible help people to access leisure facilities and return to work or education.

Service Contact: acquiredbraininjuryteam@nhs.net

Address: Rehabilitation Unit, Princess of Wales Community Hospital, Stourbridge Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 0BB,
Reception phone number: 01527 488108

About the service

Services we provide

The Acquired Brain Injury Team work in partnership with many other health professionals and organisations, aiming to improve life after a brain injury by offering a variety of interventions. The Team supports and enables people living with a brain injury to lead a full and active life in the community. They provide a range of rehabilitation, advice, and support to meet continuing and changing needs, and where possible help people to access leisure facilities and return to work or education. This restores confidence and gives back control to individuals and their families.

Who is the service for?

Patients with a diagnosed acquired brain injury aged 18 or over with a Worcestershire GP.

What does the service offer ?

We consist of Occupational Therapist (OT) and Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) who will assess at the patient’s home and then work with the patient to set achievable goals. Interventions are patient focused and timely. The Team work alongside other agencies, such as:

Headway
Stroke Association
Onside
NHS Talking Therapies
Acute Outpatients
Community SLT and OT
Neurology colleagues

Intervention is provided for as long as specialist support is needed to meet goals such as:

Returning to work either pre-morbid employment or exploring another avenue / career change.
Accessing college / university course – return to previous course or commencing a new course either ABI or mainstream.
Pursuing hobbies such as horse riding, fishing, golf, etc.

What do we do at an assessment ?

Patient will be assessed at home or via telephone or via virtual appointments.

Collaborative goal setting.

How to be referred

Who can make a referral ?

GP, consultant or allied healthcare professionals and voluntary services who can provide appropriate information about the patient.

Referrals to be sent to: WHCNHS.CNRTreferrals@nhs.net

WINRS Referral form

Please can any referrers ensure enough detail is provided to ensure the referral can be triaged by the team and actioned promptly.

Acceptance Criteria

All acquired brain injuries / newly diagnosed FND (Functional Neurological Disorder)
Requires functional approach (cognitive / attention / visual / fatigue difficulties / emotional).
Must have achievable goals – own environment / functional approach.

Urgent Criteria

Significant impact of neurological condition on ADL (Activities of Daily Living) impacting on daily living (unable to manage without urgent input, eg
- PADL (Personal Activities of Daily Living) – swallowing, eating, washing, dressing - safety issues (lives alone)
- DADL (Domestic Activities of Daily Living) – preparing food – safety issues
- Memory / cognitive – safety
- Behavioural / Mood – at risk of danger to self or others
- Upper limb, eg hemiparesis – at risk of skin breakdown
Significant role at home under threat, eg care giver to young children or carer under significant strain / in danger of not coping / SLT – communication breakdown (emotional).
Likely to lose work / job as a result of brain injury in the imminent future.
Swallow – risk of choking (aspiratory)

Routine Criteria

Moderate impact of neurological condition on ADL impacting daily living (has support or managing but struggling), eg
- PADL – eating, washing, dressing – has family / carer support in place.
- DADL – preparing food – has family / carer support in place.
- SLT memory / cognition – no safety concerns but requires functional approach.
- Fatigue if impacting on wellbeing.
- Behavioural / mood if impacting on wellbeing.
- Upper limb, eg hemiparesis (issues with splint, tone management, rehabilitation goals).
- Communication – minimal harm – difficulty with expressing or understanding spoken and written words.
- Swallowing – not at imminent risk.

Needs advice regarding driving / community access.
Seeking alternative work / vocational options
Other health care professionals involved who are supporting and providing input where MDT working is not a priority.