In addition to Cygnet Health Care the partners working with UKABIF over this coming year are Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, Leigh Day and Neuro ProActive. The Strategic Partners will meet with UKABIF regularly and support the activities connected to the Time for Change programme of work.
The Time for Change campaign was implemented through the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) to improve post-acute care for people with an ABI. The collective vision of the campaign is to make a lasting and meaningful impact on outcomes for people suffering from a brain injury. To achieve this the following needs were identified:
- Make neurorehabilitation accessible and equitable
- Develop Rehabilitation Prescriptions for all sufferers of ABI
- Set national policy to enhance and support local delivery
- Raise awareness of ABI and introduce supplementary screening and education at the point of need
- Innovate and share best-practice and innovation
- Create consistent data and information
Chloe Hayward, UKABIF’s Executive Director said, ‘UKABIF’s strength lies in bringing people together, working closely with government and Parliament, academics, charities, medical, legal and social care professionals to ensure that our demands for change are evidence-based, logical and practical as a first step to policy change. Despite Covid-19, in 2020 brain injury was raised as a key health matter over 490 times in Parliament (compared with 19 times between 2010 – 2017 and 234 times between 2017–19).’
UKABIF made great strides throughout 2020, providing the impetus to develop training and screening in the Criminal Justice System; resources for the education sector; safe-guarding neuro-rehabilitation services in the second wave of Covid-19 and developing regional networks supporting local delivery.
In addition to supporting UKABIF’s public affairs role, the partnership includes headline sponsorship of UKABIF’s Time for Change Summit which will take place on 8th November 2021 at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.
Rachael Chamberlain, Neurological Business Development Director, Cygnet Health Care, said: “Cygnet’s involvement with UKABIF has been evident for many years. Our decision to become one of their first Strategic Partners was a simple one to make. UKABIF is the glue that brings together those directly affected by brain injuries with other support networks; is at the forefront of lobbying for change to improve the lives of those affected by brain injuries.
“Cygnet’s focus for this partnership is to offer support to UKABIF delivering its mission, vision and values utilising our own national network of clinical teams specialised in supporting those with acquired brain injuries, whilst also accessing our extensive team of commissioning partners working directly with the NHS and social care sectors.”