CBI Team

CBI Team

Community Brain Injury

The Community Brain Injury Service is a Psychology led multidisciplinary service that provides specialist neurorehabilitation to adults who have experienced an acquired brain injury.

Type

Adult Services - Community Brain Injury

The Community Brain Injury Service is a Psychology led multidisciplinary service that provides specialist neurorehabilitation to adults who have experienced an acquired brain injury. 

After providing a specialist assessment in order to identify the various ways in which the brain injury has affected each individual person, a program is put together to help the person work towards an agreed personal rehabilitation goal.  Common goals include:

  • Managing memory or other cognitive problems by using aids and compensatory strategies
  • Managing mood problems relating to the brain injury to improve emotional wellbeing
  • Improving strength/balance/mobility
  • Being able to participate in meaningful activity such as work, volunteering, or leisure activities. 

We also run various group programs for both people with brain injury and their families or carers.  These change from time to time but at present include Understanding Brain Injury and Fatigue Management. 

Who is this service for? Adults who have suffered an acquired brain injury and need rehabilitation in a community setting. 

How to access this service: Referrals are accepted from any professionals who are able to provide sufficient information regarding the brain injury and the impact it is having on the person.  We also accept self-referrals from people who are known to us and need further support after having previously been discharged.

Address

Isebrook Hospital, Abbey Block, Irthlingborough Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, NN8 1LP

Map

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Contact us and opening hours

Isebrook Hospital
Abbey Block
Irthlingborough Road
Wellingborough
Northants
NN8 1LP

Telephone: 01933 235829

Email: CBIService@nhft.nhs.uk

Mon-Fri: 09.00 -17.00

Groups

Here at the Community Brain Injury Service we run a number of groups for both people with brain injury and their families or carers.  These change from time to time but at present include Understanding Brain Injury and Fatigue Management. 

Understanding Brain Injury Group

This group is open to service users, family members and the care givers of those who have sustained a brain injury. The weekly sessions aim to promote a general understanding of the brain and common difficulties after injury. In addition, the group provides useful information on strategies for managing some of these common consequences as a result of a brain injury. We also recognise the benefits of attendees exchanging experiences and we aim to provide a relaxed and comfortable environment for group discussions.  The group is facilitated by members of the service, and is held at the Isebrook Hospital over six weeks, with each session lasting two hours (including breaks).

Fatigue Management

Fatigue is the most commonly reported, distressing and persistent symptom by 60 % of people following a brain injury. Although every brain injury is different, fatigue seems to be evident in many cases. We aim to normalise the experience of fatigue following brain injury, and help you to manage your symptoms.

We aim to help you:

  • Learn ways  to use available energy more effectively
  • Learn ways to develop ‘helpful thinking styles’
  • Relaxation techniques for managing fatigue

The sessions run over 5 weeks, where we cover a range of topics and also some practical exercises to help manage fatigue.  Sessions will run for an hour with a 10 minute rest break.

We also run a 6 weekly Coffee Meeting where people can drop in to meet with other people informally and share their experiences. Please contact the service for upcoming dates.

Patient experience

“I had been on the internet and most of the information was negative, and I hoped it was not like that as that was the last thing I needed, but I found coming to the groups to be the complete opposite, it was cheerful, humorous and you lift 10% by just coming so it was a therapy, very positive experience.”

“Being lonely with a brain injury is hard as we don’t know anyone else that has a brain injury, people just don’t understand how it affects you and they don’t have the information we have.  The team equipped us to understand what has happened, but the average person doesn’t have a clue.”

“I felt that after my brain injury I was fumbling around, once a year for an MRI, once a year for ophthalmologist and that was it, so I just got on with it. You feel so lonely- then if it wasn’t for you lovely people… that’s when things got better."

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