symptoms such as concussion. However, sometimes the injury is more serious and causes longer lasting symptoms. Sometimes the individual has cognitive problems such as headaches, difficulty thinking, memory issues, attention deficits, mood swings and frustration. These injuries can be overlooked. Even though this type of BI is called ‘mild’, the effect on the family and the injured person can be significant. A more severe brain injury may result in the person losing consciousness for more than 30 minutes and memory loss after the injury of longer than 24 hours. A person may be affected physically with loss of movement in limbs, or loss of the ability to speak. Several different types of specialist service cater for people with a brain injury. Rehabilitation can help the person and their family to work towards recovery.
Individuals with a brain injury may also be eligible for support from Adult Social Care. Any services or support you may be eligible for will depend on the outcome of your needs assessment, described on page 5. For more information and to request an assessment, visit www.northamptonshire.go.uk/adultsocialcare and search ‘Learning disability and brain injury’. Northamptonshire Community Brain Injury Service For people aged 16 and over who have experienced a brain injury. The service provides specialist assessment, rehabilitation and support with adjusting to living with brain injury, as well as offering support to families and carers. Web: www.nhft.nhs.uk/cbi
Mental health If you are worried about your mental health, the usual starting point for advice is your GP, who should be able to identify the appropriate level of response. They may suggest some form of self-help using local resources. There are day centres run by organisations such as Mind, Teamwork and Spectrum that may be able to help. In addition, weekly Crisis Cafés are held in Northamptonshire that specifically operate outside normal working hours (see below for contact details). GPs also have access to a wide range of counselling and advice programmes that you may be referred to. If your concerns appear more serious, your GP may refer you to a specialist mental health service. Countywide services work in partnership with both Primary Care and more specialist mental health services provided by the NHS to ensure that both health and social care needs are responded to. For information, visit www.nhft.nhs.uk/mentalhealth To request an assessment or review from Adult Social Care, visit www.northamptonshire.gov. uk/adultsocialcare and search ‘Mental health’. Alternatively, contact your local council’s Customer Service Centre. See page 5.
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In some circumstances, it may become necessary to consider providing an individual with mental health care and support by admitting them, against their own choice, to a specialist hospital under the Mental Health Act. This option should only be considered when all other means of providing care and support have been tried and been unsuccessful. If a Mental Health Act assessment is necessary, the referral will usually be made by a health or Adult Social Care worker – for example, a GP. However, a Nearest Relative has the right to request that an assessment under the Act be considered by an Approved Mental Health Professional. The teams responsible for this can be reached on 0800 448 0828 (24 hours a day) or 01604 626938 (out of office hours). Crisis Cafés in Northamptonshire Anchor House Northampton Mind, 6-7 Regent Square NN1 2NQ (Monday and Tuesday, 12.00pm to 10.00pm; and Saturday, 2.00pm to 10.00pm). Tel: 01604 634310/624951 Daventry Mind The Old Gasworks Car Park, Brook Street NN11 4GG (Wednesday, 12.00pm to 9.00pm). Tel: 01327 879416
Se a rch f or ca r e a t www. ca re c h o i c e s .c o .u k t o fi n d s u p p o r t i n y o u r are a
