People with acquired brain injury (ABI) face many hurdles in their pathway to rehabilitation and recovery. The role of those delivering social and health care to this group should be focused on helping survivors of ABI build a secure future. A cornerstone of this process is to deliver personalised services to each individual, through the routes of finance, housing and care provision. This conference will explore how these needs are being delivered.

Accommodation can be a particular problem for people with ABI; although local authorities are under obligation to find suitable housing, there is not always adequate local provision. The long-term impact of ABI on some individuals can make it difficult for them to maintain a home – with homelessness being a particular problem facing this group. And as recovery for many is ‘work in progress’, different accommodation needs are required during the stages of the process. These important areas will be explored both in plenary and workshop sessions.

Budgets, benefits and long-term care can be a cause of great concern and stress for the person with ABI, their family and for service providers. This will be an important focus of the day with housing, finance and legal experts describing the key points involved.

Aims of the conference

• To understand the ABI landscape and what commissioning and resources are available to ABI survivors
• To explore what personalisation means for people with ABI, including personalised health budgets
• To appreciate the issues around stable accommodation and security of tenure facing people with ABI and what solutions are out there
• To recognise that people with ABI must be safeguarded and how this should be carried forward
• To explain the underlying legal issues across rights to housing, litigation, heads of damages and continuing care assessment

Speakers at the event

  • Chair: Patti Simonson Head of Social Work Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and Joint Editor of Social Care and Neurodisability Journal
  • Dr Clarence Liu Consultant Neurologist, Homerton University Hospital Foundation NHS Trust
  • Gill Stewart PHB Advisor Department of Health
  • Dr Alison Austin Personal Health Budgets Team, PSU, Department of Health
  • Lisa Morgan Senior Associate, Hugh James, Solicitors
  • Malcolm Underhill IBB Law
  • Jim Shepherd Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
  • Stuart Brazington Partner, Head of Brain Injury Dept, Withy King
  • Paul Sandford Consultant and Contributor to Social Care and Neurodisability Journal

Who should attend

• Specialists in acquired brain injury and neurological services
• Allied health professionals
• Social workers and care managers
• Medical practitioners
• Psychologists
• Case managers
• Primary care trust personnel
• Social care professionals in adult services
• Mental health workers
• Commissioners and fundholders
• Managers
• Service providers
• Lawyers
• Personal injury specialists
• Direct payments personnel
• Housing and accommodation personnel
• Service users and carers

Workshops

A. Housing law
B. Litigation
C. Statutory benefits/supported living

Pricing

£ 255.00 + VAT for Public sector/educational/charity/NHS'/local gov/voluntary orgs
£ 295.00 + VAT for Central gov/private orgs
£ 195.00 + VAT for Unwaged/student/small vol orgs