What support is available to people suffering from Acquired Brain Injury on discharge from hospital.

The early management of patients with a head injury is covered in SIGN Guideline 46 which is currently under revision and due for publication in 2009. The draft revised guidelines suggest that patients with severe head injury should be assessed for multi-disciplinary rehabilitation. A discharge letter should be sent to every general practitioner about every patient, whether admitted to hospital or not and should indicate whether follow up has been arranged. If no follow up has been offered, the discharge letter should indicate that good recovery is likely within a few weeks but should unforeseen or persisting difficulties arise then follow up would be arranged.
We are currently implementing our Rehabilitation Framework which will be taken forward in each NHS board by rehabilitation coordinators who are about to be appointed. The framework will create an effective multi-agency approach to rehabilitation services which are flexible and responsive to the needs of patients and communities in Scotland.