The purrfect way to share my thoughts
A day in the life of Peggy, the resident feline at Stanley House, Elysium Neurological’s care centre in Herefordshire.
Who said ‘cats have it easy’? It’s really not that simple, after all not all the staff and residents here speak or understand ‘Felis catus’. For those who aren’t acquainted with Latin, the language of all well-educated feline divas, it simply means domestic cat. So you can see how exhausting it can be trying to get my own way, lots of long luxurious rests are the name of this game!
New sentencing guidelines in focus
The guidelines seek to redress this lacuna and are reflective of the broader efforts across society to understand and de-stigmatise such conditions. The guidelines stipulate that “the fact that an offender has an impairment or disorder should always be considered by the court, but will not always have an effect on sentencing”. Each case will be fact specific and an individualistic approach to sentencing is encouraged, taking into account the wide range of disorders and the varying levels of impairment between individuals.
Traumatic brain injury vs psychological injury
By Alice Hall, serious injury solicitor at Irwin Mitchell.
Neurocognitive deficits caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be one of the more challenging injuries to prove and as a Claimant solicitor; it is my client who bears the burden of proving every aspect of their injuries and resultant losses. I have seen that it is often the case that mild TBIs are just one of many injuries, whilst other injuries may present as far more life-threatening, particularly during the emergency stage of treatment. Sometimes, therefore, mild TBIs are either not fully diagnosed at the outset, or they are noted but are not treated as a priority in comparison with other more seriously recognised injuries at the time, which may be more obvious and more pressing.
Looking on the bright side
Game changing neuro-rehab opportunities are emerging as a result of the coronavirus crisis, argues health and social care investment expert Boda Gallon.
The Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been multi layered. Yes, we’re faced with a fragmented health and social care system, continued uncertainty, and a gloomy economic outlook. There are, however, positive opportunities for investment and service redesign within NR and the wider specialist healthcare marketplace.
Why cultural competency should be woven into rehab training
Natalie Mackenzie and Eky Popat of brain injury rehabilitation service BIS Services on managing the cultural challenges in community rehabilitation.
Back in 2011 one of our team asked why there was a significant lack of consideration towards cultural differences within brain injury rehabilitation. It was not the first time we’d heard this question, but it further sowed the seed for a topic that is persistent and pertinent within our working practices at BIS Services, and a matter for discussion and change that must continue throughout the field. Most certainly, recent years have seen an increase in consideration and discussion regarding cultural competency and its importance in rehabilitation, which is reassuring, although the se are still challenges that we must continually consider.
The importance of identifying priorities in rehabilitation
After a life-changing injury, such as acquired brain injury, it can be tempting for the injured person and their loved ones to want to ensure that they get as much of the best quality rehabilitation that the state can provide or that money can buy, writes Irwin Mitchell's David Withers.
This is because it is generally accepted that the greatest recovery is made in the first few years, particularly in the case of acquired brain injury. When an individual sustains a traumatic brain injury, there are a range of disciplines that may need to be involved including, but not limited to: physiotherapy; occupational therapy; neuropsychology; neuro-psychiatry; neurology; neuro-surgery; dietician / nutritionist; speech and language therapy; personal trainer; counsellor; and support workers. The injured person’s passion for rehabilitation is absolutely vital. If and when that goes, it can be very difficult to regain that motivation. Mind-set in rehabilitation is critical.
Case managers and lawyers – the power of collaboration amid Covid-19
The Covid-19 epidemic has had a disproportionate impact on societies most vulnerable, due to social, financial and medical needs, write legal executive Jack Sales and clinical case manager Alexandra Hitchcock...
With many clients falling into this category case managers and solicitors have needed to continue to work in a collaborative and responsive fashion in order to best respond to the clients’ changing needs. This is compounded when the client is not the only person in the household and their care team’s needs also need to be considered. Elderly family members and those with other medical conditions along with roommates working from home, children requiring home schooling and regular paid carers needing to self-isolate have made supporting clients’ needs more challenging.
Changes to life expectancy…
By David Withers of Irwin Mitchell LLP.
In personal injury cases, lawyers use “The Actuarial Tables with explanatory notes for use in Personal Injury and Fatal Accident Cases”, otherwise known as the “Ogden Tables”. The tables can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ogden-tables-actuarial-compensation-tables-for-injury-and-death. The Ogden tables help actuaries, lawyers and others calculate the lump sum compensation due in personal injury and fatal accident cases.
Five ways Covid-19 may change litigation
Litigation, as with the world in general, has changed significantly in 2020. We could not have ever possibly foreseen how during this year we would all have to move rapidly to working remotely and digitally. It may well have accelerated changes in many firms towards digitalisation and a more agile way of working. It is likely that solicitors sitting behind desks each day in a crowded office might be a thing of the past.
How will this huge change which has been thrust upon us affect the way we run our cases? Inevitably, there will be changes which are obvious; for example there are very likely to be more remote court hearings.
