Advanced Practice Neurological Rehabilitation Education Programme

RCN Foundation enabled by SameYou is funding a new training programme for Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) and Neurotherapists to provide specialist care for young people recovering from stroke and brain injury. The training programme is being delivered jointly between The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and The University of Edinburgh. This landmark programme is the first of its kind to address brain injury recovery using a ‘brain, body & mind’ model that addresses physical, cognitive and mental health issues with a new holistic approach to recovery (also known as biopsychosocial therapies).

The programme incorporates research commissioned by the RCN Foundation, conducted by the London School of Economics (LSE) - that shows the cost of educating specialist APNs could save the NHS approximately £3.6 million per year in costs associated with ongoing care, and save young people recovering from a brain injury over £500 per week in care costs.

This report into the socio-economic cost of brain injury to the NHS and survivors has clearly illustrated the urgent need for better recovery care and services, and the creation of new APNs trained specifically to support young people with a brain injury will save money and improve recovery outcomes.