In cases of serious brain injury, a person will be medically treated in hospital. This may initially be at an emergency department, followed by treatment at an intensive care unit and eventually onto a general hospital ward. The person may need to undergo a period of rehabilitation to continue with their recovery and minimise the long-term impact of their injury.
This can be a very difficult and confusing time for both the person with brain injury and their family. We hope that the information available below helps to make sense of this stage and offers helpful guidance on how to navigate these early days of brain injury.
Remember that you can contact our nurse-led helpline for information and support at any stage of brain injury. You can also visit Supporting you to find out about the other ways we can help during this challenging time.
Find out more
Browse through the sections below to find out more about hospital treatment and rehabilitation after brain injury
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Hospital treatment
Find out more about the treatment and care that may be given in hospital after brain injury.
Hospital treatment -
Discharge from hospital
Find out more about the stage of being discharged from hospital after treatment for brain injury.
The discharge process about Discharge from hospital -
Ongoing care
Find out about ongoing care options after hospital treatment for brain injury.
Ongoing care -
Rehabilitation
Find out more about rehabilitation after brain injury, including what rehabilitation is, how it can help and where to access rehabilitation from.
Rehabilitation
Coma and prolonged disorders of consciousness
Information on coma and prolonged disorders of consciousness (minimally conscious state and vegetative state)
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Prolonged disorders of consciousness
Information for families and loved ones of a brain injury survivor in a prolonged disorder of consciousness (minimally conscious state or vegetative state).
Prolonged disorders of consciousness
Managing care
Guidance on some of the unexpected issues that may arise during the hospital treatment and rehabilitation phase.
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Assessment and funding of care
Find out more on how care needs are assessed and how care services are funded after brain injury.
Assessment and funding of care -
Making a complaint about health and social care services
Find out more about the stages involved in making a complaint about health and social care services.
Making a complaint about health and social care services
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Looking after someone with a brain injury
Find out more about looking after someone with a brain injury, including at the hospital stage.
Looking after someone with a brain injury -
Need to talk?
Contact our nurse-led helpline for further information and support
Headway Helpline about Need to talk?
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Every 90 seconds, someone is admitted to a UK hospital with a brain injury. Your donation helps Headway UK provide specialist advice and support to brain injury survivors and their loved ones.
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