It contacted the Department of Health & Social Care, NHS England and the Chief Medical Officer to request that ABI was included on the list of ‘vulnerable’ conditions.
The change would result in the NHS responding to ABI people as high risk and any advice and support through 111 and 999 would be more likely to be treated as a priority.
At the time of writing ABI is not directly referenced by Public Health England as vulnerable (please check online www.gov.uk for subsequent changes).
Currently it outlines: “Chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy”.
Meanwhile, UKABIF has been involved in efforts by the Community Rehabilitation Alliance (CRA) to help organisations involved in community rehab to support each other through the pandemic.
The CRA brings together around 20 charities and healthcare bodies, including the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, the Stroke Association and the MS Society.
As the COVID-19 crisis deepened, members of the alliance held a conference call and, as well as sharing their insights into managing the challenges of the coronavirus, they came up with a list of actions.
These included the creation of a virtual workspace enabling members of the alliance to share ideas and collaborate during the crisis.
A “self-care hub” is also being developed with useful information for people with long-term conditions, while new community rehab online resources are also being evaluated. Alliance members also agreed to explore how they could work more closely with the fitness industry while social distancing and the lockdown continue.
CRA member ukactive, which aims to improve fitness among the British public, agreed to look into ways of supporting community rehab provision.
Elsewhere, charities have been stepping up their efforts to look after vulnerable people while face-to-face support remains off limits. The Child Brain Injury Trust has launched a virtual brain injury service for families.
It offers assessments, advice on benefits and funding, parental and sibling support, educational information, legal support and further signposting.
SameYou, the brain injury charity set up by Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, has been posting daily ‘Pockets of Calm’ on its social media channels.
They feature tips and stories to help people through this time.
The charity has also launched an emergency response campaign for brain injury and stroke patients.
Working with partners Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston and UCL in England, it is fundraising to provide new virtual rehabilitation clinics for brain injury and stroke patients during COVID-19.
On a regional level, Headway Preston and Chorley has been offering regular weekly “friendship calls” over phone.
They can be arranged on the same day and time each week and are aimed at lessening the chances of people feeling isolated and lonely.
Individuals affected by have also been doing their bit. Anne Johnston, a former winner of the UKABIF Film Award, has made a film for fellow brain injury survivors on how to survive self isolation during COVID-19 lockdown.
Anne tells viewers: “Here are nine tips so you can learn how to survive self-isolation during coronavirus. As a brain injury warrior, self-isolation has been a big part of my life for two years. I hope these tips help you while we’re social distancing.”
Also, Emma Thompson, a physiotherapist from Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, has uploaded a workout video to YouTube to help people with reduced mobility to exercise.
