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Almost two thirds of people with brain injury experience discrimination from statutory services.
Brain injury survivors face discrimination and prejudice in society, according to the results of a survey commissioned by Headway – the brain injury association.
The survey, thought to be the first of its kind to explore how people feel about their brain injuries, has revealed disturbing levels of isolation, discrimination and prejudice. But of even greater concern is the fact that this discrimination is coming in the form of not only social prejudice, but also a lack of requisite care and attention from health, social care and other statutory agencies.
According to the survey, released to mark the start of Action for Brain Injury Week, which runs from 31st March to 6th April. 60% of respondents had experienced discrimination from at least one social service, such as health or social care, benefits or employment and more than two thirds of brain injury survivors believe they are discriminated against by society because of their injuries.
“The results of the survey are shocking” said Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway UK the brain injury association. “We are appalled that so many people with brain injuries are being mistreated by statutory agencies and facing prejudice by wider society .Three years ago, the government launched the National Service Framework for Long Term (Neurological) conditions. This framework was designed to transform the way health and social care services support people living with long-term neurological conditions. The results of the survey clearly show that in three years. Very little has been achieved and the NSF has to date been a failure.
Brain injury can have devastating effects, which can often last a lifetime. It can affect every aspect of you: walking, thinking and feeling, and can mean losing the life you once led and the person you once were. People trying to deal with these life-changing conditions need our help and yet they face discrimination and prejudice in their everyday lives. We hear numerous stories of how our service users are often bullied, harassed and ridiculed for their disabilities, which is highly disturbing in a sophisticated society like ours.
The survey also revealed that almost half of all brain injury survivors in the UK find it difficult to tell people they have a brain injury due to the stigma surrounding it and the prejudice they may face, demonstrating the widespread nature of the discrimination.
“Headway calls on all providers of health and social care to use Action on Brain Injury Week to urgently review their services to make sure they are accessible to brain injury survivors. They must ensure all those providing public services understand that discrimination against brain injury survivors is unacceptable” said Peter.
Members of Headway Bradford regularly face prejudice as the result of their brain injuries. one member said “My brain injury is largely invisible” “yet years after I sustained brain injury I still battle with daily life and I have to suffer abuse as a result, I’ve been verbally abused whilst trying to use my disabled pass as society think I’m a fraud,” another member went onto say “Because I look ok, people even social services and various professionals who may only be in my company for a short while say I’m putting it on. I would gladly give everything I own to be the way I was prior to my brain injury, its no life, I exist. Its so hard, knowing that once I worked full – time, was the main bread winner, I was the shoulder for my family to lean on, I was the one who did the decorating, the gardening, the driving force of my family, now I am unable to do these things, I am unable to co-ordinate, to understand instruction, I go for a shave and I can’t remember how to shave, my very being in every aspect has been affected by my brain injury, I am unable to work so applied for benefits only to be questioned why!!! It’s like society and the authorities are torturing us for having a brain injury, I did not ask to be the way I am now, in many ways I’m like a child having to relearn everything, at the same time having to put up with the stigma of society saying there’s nothing wrong. I so wish nothing was wrong. Knowing you can’t do all the things you once could knocks your confidence enough, without being humiliated in public as well, I’m often treated like a second class citizen just because people are too quick to judge. It’s not while brain injury happens to you, that you and your family are aware of the many everyday problems a person faces”.
Statutory services failing
The survey, conducted by Social Neuropyschology Research Group at the University of Exeter, showed that it is not only social prejudice that people with brain injuries have to face. The majority of respondents (60%) claimed to have experienced a lack of post-acute health care, difficulty in obtaining benefits or poor treatment from social services. .
“Misdiagnosis of brain injury is disturbingly common” said Peter McCabe. “Too often brain injury is passed off by medical practitioners as concussion or post-traumatic stress with patients being discharged under the assumption the condition will clear itself up. It’s only when the symptoms persist in the following weeks, months or even years that people begin to take notice. This treatment is itself a form of discrimination.
“The complex nature of brain injury diagnosis and the fact that each brain injury is different, with no one clear route to recovery for all means many survivors face difficulty in getting the post-acute care they need – be that in the form of rehabilitation services or benefits.
The costs of brain injury are immense, not only to the individual and their family, but also society on the whole. A total of 89% of the respondents reported the breakdown of at least one of their relationships, be that with a friend, significant other or family member as a direct result of their brain injury.
The fact that 64% of brain injury survivors are unemployed has huge ramifications for society. With better treatment at the acute stage of care and more assistance given during the rehabilitation phase, who knows how many more people with brain injuries could return to work and provide a financial contribution to the community.
Hidden Disability
According to Headway, the discrimination faced by people with brain injuries is the result of a lack of understanding. One of the difficulties in raising awareness of brain injury is the fact that it is often very hard to notice that someone has one, it is called the hidden disability as many people with brain injuries will appear, on the surface at least, to be perfectly healthy and yet they may well be struggling with the most simple cognitive functions.
Headway Bradford is using Action for Brain Injury Week to raise awareness of brain injury so that we can start to change in the way people living with effects are treated in society. People with brain injuries need and deserve better and fairer treatment – not only from social services but also from society on the whole.
Headway Bradford are holding a fun walk on Saturday 5th April in Lister Park Bradford to help raise awareness in our area, we are lucky enough to have the support Of the Idle Trike & Bike Club, Pyeratz MCC Come along and show your support have a fun day and help raise awareness of brain injury in our area, bring your families, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbours, uncle Tom Cobbly and all, If you want to see the convoy of motor bikes and trikes riding into Lister Park be by the band stand for 1.30pm, the walk starts at 2pm from the band stand,
Causes of Brain Injury
A brain injury can be caused by road traffic accidents, assaults and falls, accidents at work, haemorrhages, infections or strokes.
Key Facts
It is estimated that across the UK there are well over 500,000 people of working age living with permanent disabilities as a result of head injury.
Each year, around 1.4 million people attend hospital A&E in the UK following head injury.
Approximately half of deaths in people under 40 are due to head injury.
Head injury accounts for about 30% of traumatic deaths and a higher proportion of long-term disability.
Men are two or three times likely to have a brain injury than women. This increases to five times more likely in the 15-29 age range.
The major causes of head injury are road traffic accidents, falls and accidents at home or at work.
You can contact Headway Bradford by phone: - 07856076866 / 07856076867.
www.headwaybradford.co.uk
Headway Bradford
PO Box 1042
Bradford
BD1 9JD |