Rebuilding lives of brain injured patients

Most brain injuries occur in road traffic accidents

A new centre which will help young patients with brain injuries rebuild their lives is being officially opened in London on Tuesday.

Rehab UK, the charity running the centre says young people with brain injuries often fail to get the help they need from the NHS.

It says they are often released from hospital early, and do not get the advice they need on work or educational opportunities.

The London Brain Injury Vocational Centre, like those already set up in Birmingham and Newcastle, hopes to help around 60% of people with brain injuries back to work or education.

Our centre is designed to help people with brain injuries to retrain, refocus, and then get them into employment

Reg Prole, Rehab UK

The UK has only half the number of consultants and rehabilitation beds it needs for the growing number of people who survive head injuries.

London is particularly badly hit, with just a third of the number of consultants and beds needed.

Improvements in neuro-surgical techniques mean 70% of people who suffer serious brain injuries survive.

Twenty years ago, most died.

Investment 'essential'

Reg Prole, chief executive of Rehab UK, said: "Head injury is now the foremost cause of disability in young people. If we fail to provide essential support, they can face a lifetime of unemployment."

He said the UK was currently paying out around £250m in benefit payments to people leading "wasted lives".

"It is essential that the investment in medical skills made in response to the initial brain injury is followed by the provision of appropriate rehabilitation services, including community based services and vocational training aimed at getting people back to work," he said.

"Our London centre is designed to help people with brain injuries to retrain, refocus, and then get them into employment."

Costs

Rehab UK has carried out research which has shown each person who cannot find work because of brain injury receives £85 per week in disability benefits.

Some also receive housing benefits.

On average, people were on unemployment benefit for 212 weeks before they got onto a vocational training course.

Rehab UK estimates the total cost per person is £24,000.

It says the help provided for patients at its centres costs around £8,000.

Patients on average stay for around 20 weeks receiving occupational therapy and advice about future work and education.

Fifty-eight per cent of brain injuries occur in road traffic accidents, 18% are due to falls and 15% are due to assaults.