Brain Injury Service - Southern Trust

The Brain Injury Team looks after the needs of individuals who have suffered brain injury, their families and carers. Staff see individuals who have suffered brain injury at all stages of the rehabilitation and re-integration process. Priority is given to new injuries, but people with older injuries are also eligible for the service. The Team aims to give information, to help co-ordinate and enhance other services, and to promote independence and integration.

Who Are We?

The Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team (ABIRT) is a community interdisciplinary team working across the Southern Health and Social Care Trust with service users and their families & friends that have been affected by a brain injury.

What is a Brain Injury? We work with service users who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (e.g. as a result of a car accident, fall or assault) or acquired brain injury (e.g. brain damage because of a lack of oxygen to the brain or infection such as encephalitis, hydrocephalus or meningitis).

Concussion

Our concussion pathway offers information and support to people who have had a concussion. We accept referrals from GP’s and Emergency Departments. If you are concerned about symptoms related to concussion, please talk to your GP and ask them to refer to us if you think that would be helpful. You will also find useful information about concussion in our Resources Section.

What do We do?

We work with people affected by brain injury to help them understand and compensate for difficulties following brain injury such as reduced memory, fatigue, difficulties getting back to work, personality changes and/or communication problems. We also provide psychological and emotional support to help a person’s support network to adjust to life following brain injury. We support people to increase their physical abilities, strength, balance and stamina; build their independence and roles in everyday life; and to help them to return to education or employment where possible.

Where are we?

ABIRT work across the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. We try to offer most of your appointments as close to your home as possible. Usually, your first appointment with the team will be in Portadown.