Academic contributes to report warning hidden toll of brain injury costs the economy £43 billion a year

Dr Alyson Norman worked with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Acquired Brain Injury and the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum
Brain scan, MRI, neurology
A University of Plymouth academic has contributed to a new report which found that investing in specialist rehabilitation services could save the NHS and social services nearly £20 billion per year in acute care, longer term and social care costs.
The Right to Rehab report, commissioned by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Acquired Brain Injury and charity UKABIF (the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum), considers the economic impact of acquired brain injuries (ABI) including traumatic brain injuries, stroke and brain tumours.
It estimated the impact to the economy – including lost productivity, NHS care and the cost of benefits – totals £43bn per year, though the true figure is likely to be higher as limited data is available on the impact on mental health, addiction and homelessness services.
Those costs include a £20bn impact on the NHS and social care, £21.5bn in lost productivity to the economy, and £1.5bn in costs to education and the criminal justice system. In addition, the Department for Work and Pensions is estimated to spend £1.9bn annually on benefits for those with acquired brain injuries.
Dr Alyson Norman , Associate Professor in Psychology based at the University of Plymouth, specialises in studies of brain injuries and visible differences. She is a trustee of UKABIF and a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group, and has a personal connection to the issue as her brother Dave took his own life after a series of brain injuries.
A Safeguarding Adults Review into his case uncovered a pattern of injuries from childhood which had been seen as “mild” at the time, including a road accident at age three and a cricket injury aged 14. These had helped lead him to a spiral of addiction, risky behaviour and homelessness.
Alyson remembers the moment that the chair of the review into his death came to talk to them as a family, and disclosed what she had found in Dave’s medical records.

I remember going numb. I had always put my brother’s issues down to poor family background and often wondered what led him to go down such a destructive path whilst my sister and I, despite having similar experience, had not. Despite my professional knowledge, I had been flying blind.

Alyson NormanDr Alyson Norman
Associate Professor in Psychology

Alyson Norman with her brother Dave and sister Jo Alyson Norman
For the report, she completed a review of 600 serious case reviews, and found that nearly a third of them may be associated with brain injury including acute domestic violence or road traffic accidents.
The Serious Case Review in her brother’s case was damning about the response Dave received from health and social care services. Although charities like Headway offered support, the lack of wraparound care meant any stability was short-lived.
Many people with brain injuries appear as if they have no condition, but they are three times more likely to commit suicide than the general population.

Specialist community neurorehabilitation could have picked up the issues that led to his downward spiral.

Dr Alyson Norman
The Right to Rehab report argues that brain injury should be put on the same footing as other major conditions such as cancer, dementia and coronary heart disease, which have economic burdens of a similar scale and the same focus on public health prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
It makes five recommendations to policymakers including a statutory ‘Right to Rehab’ led by clinical specialists in every UK region. This, the report says, could be funded by savings elsewhere such as acute care and social services.
It also recommends a new strategy and better use of data to end the postcode lottery in neuro-rehabilitation services, along with a cross-Whitehall standing committee to break down barriers between government departments to deliver a strategy for Acquired Brain Injury which has been discussed in draft for several years.
There are around 350,000 admissions to hospitals in the UK of people with an acquired brain injury. A study by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Prisons showed that up to 60% of prisoners have experienced a traumatic brain injury.

This isn’t just a debilitating condition for those impacted, who may find themselves suddenly unable to work, function or walk in the way they are used to, it is also a huge cost to society and the economy. If we are to treat some of the most serious societal problems including addiction, mental health crises and violence, we need to look at the root cause – which in the majority of cases is a brain injury. By giving patients a right to specialist rehabilitation in the communities they live in, we can save money and improve lives.

Sir John Hayes MP
Chair of the APPG, who experienced a brain injury in his youth

Giving patients a right to rehab delivers substantial economic and social returns. It reduces long-term healthcare costs, increases workforce participation, and alleviates pressure on social services. At the same time, it strengthens communities by enabling individuals with brain injuries to lead more fulfilling lives, contribute to society, and support their families. The ripple effect of these outcomes benefits everyone.

Chloe Hayward
Executive Director of UKABIF 
 

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