The ABI Connections Project

The Acquired Brain Injury Connections (ABIC) project is funded by the Community Lottery Fund. It is designed to raise awareness of the causes of brain injury and the effects it has on peoples lives.

Our aim is to help and support people who have been affected by an acquired brain injury, to manage the effects and achieve the best life possible.

We support adults over 18 who have sustained an acquired brain injury though:

• Stroke

• Trauma due to RTA

• Attacks, trips and falls

• Brain tumour and surgery

• Viruses and infections, including covid and meningitis

• Drug and alcohol abuse

Project Aims

The project aims to reduce crisis and improve outcomes for people by:

o   Increasing opportunity for emotional support, information and advice

o   Improving understanding of how to navigate complex health and care systems

o   Increasing opportunities and maximize potential for self-management

o   Enabling people to better identify their own strengths and resources

o   Enabling people to better cope and adjust to new life circumstances

o   Connecting people before crisis to appropriate support and resources in the community

o   Reducing delays for connections to support

o   Preventing people slipping through the system and becoming isolated

o   Preventing longer term dependency on services

Who can access this project?

This project can be accessed free of charge for individuals and their families who have been impacted by an acquired brain injury and are currently a patient or have recently been discharged from a hospital in Norfolk.

What support do people receive?

1.      Face to face support

2.      Free pack of support materials to take home

3.      Phone and video call support

4.      Information and support via email and/or letter

5.      Access to the Peer Support Group

Support is personalised and can vary in length from 6 to 12 months

Meet the ABIC Team

Hayley Jepson, ABIC OT Project Manager- has 20+ years experience in the NHS with both stroke and ABI experience. She has a keen interest in cognitive rehabilitation.

Emma Martins, Lived experience Communicator, acquired a brain injury in 2014. Her past journalistic experiences help promote our services and the impact of an ABI. 

How to get in touch:

Referrals, enquiries and requests for a call back can be sent referrals@headway-nw.org.uk with ‘ABI Connections’ in the subject line.