What did the project involve? The redesign of NHS Lanark shire’s brain injury services saw the launch of the Community Brain Injury Team in May 2012. The service redesign involved the introduction of a new specialist AHP led multidisciplinary, community-based rehabilitation service in Lanarkshire to provide a single point of access to specialist brain injury rehabilitation with links to her relevant care providers.The service aimed to build local resources and expertise within NHS Lanark shire while simultaneously reducing the previous dependence on national centres.
How does it improve patient care? Each patient has an allocated key worker and the team of therapists who can meet their needs is identified. The patient works in partnership with their team to agree their goals. This is a patient-led exercise with support and advice from their team. Of those patients who have been discharged from the service to date, 89% of all goals have been fully achieved. It is a permanently funded project which is being measured against expected outcomes over the first three years. The service is now in its third year and the clinical and financial performance outcomes to date have exceeded expectations.
Shared learning The new service has also established a pathway for patients, their families and carers, their employers and other NHS staff in the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of patients from acute injury to community reintegration. The pathway and service model is being looked at by other health boards and agencies across the country.
Project Leads -Jane-Marie Stobie (team co-ordinator), Janice McClymont (head of Profession: NHSL occupational therapy services) and Karen Leslie (specialist physiotherapist), NHS Lanarkshire
For more information, email [email protected] or call 01698 377864