Shaftesbury Icanho hosts first neuro rehabilitation conference
Every 90 seconds someone in the UK is admitted to hospital with a brain injury. In that moment, life changes — not just for the individual, but for their family, friends and colleagues, often altering the course of people’s lives long into the future.
This startling statistic about the incidence of new brain injuries was shared at our first neuro rehabilitation conference at Shaftesbury Icanho last month. Over 60 healthcare professionals, brain injury specialists and people with lived experience of disability attended the event on 18 March at our specialist rehabilitation service in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
The full-day programme brought together research, policy and practice, and personal testimonies from former Shaftesbury Icanho patients, to explore how rehabilitation can restore futures.
The aftermath of a newly acquired brain injury can vary hugely depending on where the individual lives and what services are available in that area, delegates heard.
“For some people, specialist rehabilitation opens the door to recovery, independence, and rebuilding their life. For others, that door is much harder to find,” Ellie Appleton, Clinical Service Manager at Shaftesbury Icanho, told the conference.
Research and expertise in neuro rehabilitation
Leading brain injury experts made up the panel of guest speakers at the conference, including Dr Alyson Norman and Dr Mark Holloway, who explored the clinical and psychological dimensions of brain injury rehabilitation.
Dr Norman, Associate Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Plymouth, discussed recent research and evidence that makes a case for investing in rehabilitation services. She presented findings from The Right to Rehabilitation Report, 2025 commissioned by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Acquired Brain Injury, to which Dr Norman contributed.
The report reveals that acquired brain injury costs the UK economy £43 billion annually. Factoring in additional costs, such as an individual being unable to work, and the impact on family carers and social engagement, means the overall cost is a massive £91.5 billion. This supports the argument for timely access to specialist rehabilitation, the conference heard.
Dr Norman believes there’s a general lack of understanding around brain injury amongst most health and social care professionals, with just “pockets of expertise”. She has been working with government to commission and support brain injury services.
Guidelines for rehabilitation
Also addressing the conference was Dr Mark Holloway, a social worker, advanced member of the British Association of Brain Injury Case Managers and expert witness. He was recently involved in writing the new national guidelines; Rehabilitation for Chronic Neurological disorders including Acquired Brain Injury 2025, issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence [NICE] last year.
Dr Holloway shared how complex the guidelines were to write because Acquired Brain Injury itself is so complex. His extensive experience of directly supporting people with brain injuries has highlighted how important it is for patients to access the right support and treatment.
He urged health and social care professionals working in this field to have the new guidelines to hand, both in clinical practice and to help educate and inform commissioning services.
As part of the conference programme, delegates had the opportunity to tour Shaftesbury Icanho to see the specialist equipment and facilities available to our clients. Staff members were on hand to give therapy demonstrations and to answer any questions.
The impact of specialist rehabilitation at Shaftesbury Icanho
Paul Brough and Sarah Catchpole shared their personal stories of brain injury, detailing the comprehensive support they received to aid their recovery.
Paul suffered a stroke in his 40s and went from being a fit and healthy father to abruptly being unable to function fully. The prospect of not ever being able to return to work severely impacted his mental health.
Sarah suffered a stroke at the age of 55, despite her fit and active lifestyle. Following nine months of physical and occupational therapy at Shaftesbury Icanho, she went from feeling isolated and immobile to participating in an endurance challenge to fundraise for us. You can read more on Sarah’s recovery journey here.
Paul and Sarah’s stories are testament to how vital access to specialist rehabilitation is. Both are now back at work, something that was very important for them. Without our specialist support, Sarah feels she would probably be “wandering around with a walking stick, not knowing who to reach out to”.
The conference reinforced that recovery is not defined solely by physical improvement, but by the ability to rebuild a meaningful and independent life.
“Events like this are essential, not only for sharing knowledge, but for challenging assumptions, influencing practice, and ultimately improving outcomes for individuals living with brain injury,” said Service Manager, Jo Marshall.
With thanks to Fletchers solicitors who sponsored this event.
(Featured image: Staff team at Shaftesbury Icanho)