Commons Debate pack by Manjit Gheera. It was first published on Thursday, 20 November 2025. It was last updated on Thursday, 27 November 2025.

Comprehensive acquired brain Injury action plan

A comprehensive acquired brain injury action plan

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence defines acquired brain injury (ABI) as injury to the brain that results in neurological impairment. It includes both traumatic brain injuries, such as those caused by road accidents or assaults, and non-traumatic brain injuries including as a result of a stroke, or infections, such as meningitis or encephalitis.

Earlier this year, the government stated its intention to develop an acquired brain injury (ABI) action plan with input from NHS England and other government departments. The government said that the action plan, due to be published this year, will be “concise, action-orientated, and accountable, in order to drive real change for people with ABI”.

The previous Conservative government had also committed to publishing an ABI strategy in 2024. A call for evidence to inform the development of the strategy was launched in 2022. It asked for views from people living with ABI on how they experienced support and services and what they would improve.

Guidance and research

In October 2025, NICE published guidance on Rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders including acquired brain injury (NG252). Evidence used to develop the guidance found:

many people with a chronic neurological disorder do not feel empowered to offer feedback about their service experiences
rehabilitation is often only considered when symptoms start to affect functioning and only provided in the short term for specific symptoms
people with a chronic neurological disorder tend to need periods of intensive treatment followed by periods of less intensive support.

The NICE guidance sets out minimum service standards for ABI rehabilitation services in all settings for children, young people and adults. It further recommends that services operate across all health, mental health and social care settings, including both specialist neurorehabilitation and general rehabilitation services.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Acquired Brain Injury considered the economic impact of ABI in its report ‘The Cost to the UK Economy of Acquired Brain Injury’, published in May 2025. It concluded that the impact of ABI on the economy was equivalent to 1.5% of UK GDP. The APPG called for a government-led ABI strategy with cross-departmental coordination, and proper funding for neurorehabilitation.

Parliamentary material

Debates

Children with Serious Neurological Conditions (20 November 2025 | House of Commons | Vol 775)

Parliamentary Questions

Brain: Injuries
10 November 2025 | UIN 86995

Asked by: Sir John Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children in schools who have suffered acquired brain injuries.

Answering member: Georgia Gould | Department: Department for Education

Children who have had a brain injury can be affected in different ways. Some brain injuries will result in a special educational need (SEN) or a medical need, whilst others may affect a child in other ways.

In whatever way a brain injury manifests, it is essential that the pupil’s individual needs are identified and supported appropriately. Support should be tailored to their own learning barriers, irrespective of their diagnosis. This is underpinned by the range of statutory duties on schools to support children with SEN, disabilities or medical conditions. Depending on the impact that an acquired brain injury has on the child accessing education, they may be entitled to support under any or all of these duties. For example:

A mainstream school must use its ‘best endeavours’ to provide the right support for all its pupils with SEN.
Schools must make arrangements to support their pupils with medical conditions.
Schools must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures and policies and not discriminate against their disabled pupils.

Brain: Injuries
30 June 2025 | HL8525

Asked by: Lord Crisp

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposed World Health Organization resolution to make traumatic brain injury a notifiable and chronic condition worldwide and whether they have any plans to support the resolution at the 79th World Health Assembly.

Answering member: Baroness Merron | Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Formal notification and negotiation of proposed resolutions at the World Health Organization (WHO) typically begin in the autumn, including any potential resolution on making traumatic brain injury a notifiable and chronic condition. The United Kingdom gives due consideration to all proposed WHO resolutions and will engage in all resolution negotiations ahead of any adoption at the World Health Assembly, which takes place in May each year. All resolutions to be considered by the World Health Assembly would also be subject to the WHO's budget allocation process.

The UK is committed to addressing traumatic brain injury and we intend to develop an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Action or Delivery Plan, with input from NHS England and other Government departments, to be published in the autumn of this year. The forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan will provide the overarching plan for the future of the National Health Service, and a subsequent ABI Plan would then focus on specific actions and deliverables for ABI against the backdrop of the 10-Year Health Plan. This will ensure a coherent, targeted approach. The new ABI Action Plan will be concise, action-oriented, and accountable, in order to drive real change for people with ABI.

Brain: Injuries
03 July 2025 | UIN 61642

Asked by: Rachel Gilmour

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to provide financial support for local community-based (a) rehabilitation and (b) reablement services for brain injury survivors.

Answering member: Stephen Kinnock | Department: Department of Health and Social Care

We intend to develop an acquired brain injury (ABI) Action or Delivery Plan, with input from NHS England and other Government departments, to be published in autumn 2025. The 10-Year Health Plan will provide the overarching plan for the future of the National Health Service, and a subsequent ABI Plan would then focus on specific actions and deliverables for ABI against the backdrop of the 10-Year Health Plan.

Community rehabilitation for people with neurological conditions is named as one the integrated care board-funded core components of community health services. Further information on Standardising community health services planning guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/standardising-community-health-services/

The Department launched the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) in September 2024, providing funding for eligible care staff to complete courses and qualifications. The scheme is backed by up to £12 million this financial year.

We have published a list of over 200 training courses and qualifications which are eligible for funding from the LDSS, including training to enable staff to support care users with specific needs and medical conditions. It also includes qualifications to enhance quality of care more broadly, including the new Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate (L2ASCC).

The L2ASCC is an accredited occupational qualification for all eligible non-regulated care staff aged 19 years old and over. It is based on the Care Certificate standards and ensures that those working in the sector have the right skills to provide the right care for individuals who draw on care and support.

While brain injuries are not explicitly mentioned, the L2ASCC and the Care Certificate standards provide a foundation of knowledge and skills necessary to support individuals in the adult social care sector safely and effectively.