09.10.2014
The Brain Injury Living Life (Brill) team will operate alongside Nottingham Children's Hospital's existing therapy department, with a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, a therapy support worker, neuro-psychologist and a consultant all included.
It will aim to ensure children can get home sooner by co-ordinating treatment and ending delays such as those caused by youngsters needing to stay in hospital while awaiting therapy when they were otherwise sufficiently fit to leave.
Emily Broughton, whose daughter Ivy-Mae spent 17 weeks in hospital after a central nervous system infection left her in a coma, has welcomed the development, saying cases like that of her child will be dealt with faster in future, ensuring a far shorter stay in hospital.
She said: "The support we received while we were in hospital was fantastic, but 17 weeks is a long time and it would have been awesome to have Ivy-Mae home sooner. It's great to know that other families will get this chance."
Ms Broughton added that getting children home sooner would make a "massive difference", describing the ordeal of having Ivy-Mae hospitalised as "a horrible, difficult time".
Part of the work of the Brill team will involve making home visits and handling outpatient visits, thus bridging the gap between the initial work carried out by hospital staff and that of community-based therapists in the later stages of treatment.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Jane Williams said the creation of the team means a dream has been "realised", with the necessity of a specialist team based on the models used in adult brain injury treatment having been clearly recognised.
The team will have £170,000 of funding for its first year and its launch has been publicised by former professional rugby player David Jackson, who has agreed to be its patron.
His career in the sport was ended after he suffered a serious brain injury.
Nottingham Unit Aims To Speed Up Recovery
A new team has been created in Nottingham to help speed up the treatment and recovery of children with brain injuries.The Brain Injury Living Life (Brill) team will operate alongside Nottingham Children's Hospital's existing therapy department, with a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, a therapy support worker, neuro-psychologist and a consultant all included.
It will aim to ensure children can get home sooner by co-ordinating treatment and ending delays such as those caused by youngsters needing to stay in hospital while awaiting therapy when they were otherwise sufficiently fit to leave.
Emily Broughton, whose daughter Ivy-Mae spent 17 weeks in hospital after a central nervous system infection left her in a coma, has welcomed the development, saying cases like that of her child will be dealt with faster in future, ensuring a far shorter stay in hospital.
She said: "The support we received while we were in hospital was fantastic, but 17 weeks is a long time and it would have been awesome to have Ivy-Mae home sooner. It's great to know that other families will get this chance."
Ms Broughton added that getting children home sooner would make a "massive difference", describing the ordeal of having Ivy-Mae hospitalised as "a horrible, difficult time".
Part of the work of the Brill team will involve making home visits and handling outpatient visits, thus bridging the gap between the initial work carried out by hospital staff and that of community-based therapists in the later stages of treatment.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Jane Williams said the creation of the team means a dream has been "realised", with the necessity of a specialist team based on the models used in adult brain injury treatment having been clearly recognised.
The team will have £170,000 of funding for its first year and its launch has been publicised by former professional rugby player David Jackson, who has agreed to be its patron.
His career in the sport was ended after he suffered a serious brain injury.
Expert Opinion
This is an important step in improving and extending the treatment and healthcare facilities available for young people who are affected by brain injuries and neurological conditions. In our work we have seen a number of cases where victims have suffered serious brain injuries, with many people facing a long road to recovery. <br/> <br/>“Facilities such as this one will help children suffering with a serious brain injury to access the treatment and support they need in one place, as well as providing home visits, which can be crucial for the recovery of children. The work of specialist brain injury teams ensures that patients are given the very best opportunity to manage their condition or illness.” Stephen Nye - Partner
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