Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce gaps in rehabilitation and long-term care provision for people living with acquired brain injury.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government wants a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition such as an acquired brain injury (ABI), receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care, with their families and carers also supported.

We will change the National Health Service so that it becomes not just a sickness service, but one able to prevent ill health in the first place. This will help us be better prepared for the change in the nature of disease and allow our services to focus more on the management of chronic, long-term conditions, like ABIs, including rehabilitation where appropriate.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently developing the guidance Rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders including acquired brain injury, which is expected to be published in September 2025. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10181

The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention met the original proponent of the ABI strategy, Sir Chris Bryant MP, in November to discuss ABIs, and had a very fruitful discussion about what might be achievable in both the short and long term. Sir Chris Bryant MP remains an advocate for those who have suffered an ABI and the Department agrees with him that we should, and importantly will, do more, including showcasing those areas that have effectively integrated post-hospital care and support, including rehabilitation, to other areas where patients are not getting the care and support they deserve.

We have announced that we are setting up a new United Kingdom-wide neuro forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, the devolved administrations and health services, and the Neurological Alliances of all four UK nations. The new forum will bring key stakeholders together to share learning across the UK, discuss the transformation of important neurology services, workforce challenges, best practice examples, and potential solutions that will add to both the existing programmes of work and wider health plans.

A decision on the next steps for ABIs at the national level will be taken in due course.

Meanwhile, we have committed to develop a 10-year plan to deliver an NHS fit for the future. We will be carefully considering input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan over the coming months. The engagement process has launched, and I would encourage my fellow parliamentarians and stakeholders to engage with that process to allow us to fully understand what is not working as well as it should and what the potential solutions are, including on ABIs. This is available at the following link:

https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

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