Response to the MSP letters from Nicola Sturgeon- Health and Wellbeing Secretary

Dear ... (the letters were sent back to local MSPs)

Thank you for your letter of 14 January to Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Public Health, on behalf of your constituents, who are members of the Service User Forum for Brain injury and have contacted you about improving the services available to people with acquired brain injury, especially through the provision of a standard information pack.

Please be in no doubt that I recognise brain injury as a substantial problem in Scotland. We also recognise people's need for information and support about their condition, especially at crucial stages such as the time of diagnosis or discharge from hospital, and that is one of the main points we've made in Better Health, Better Care, our action plan for NHSScotland.

I agree with your constituents that the provision of an information pack should be regarded as a national initiative. People must have access to the same information, regardless of where they live in Scotland. It seems to me that an excellent vehicle for taking this work forward would be the national Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).

The Network was set up in February 2007 to ensure equitable provision of high quality clinically effective services for people with ABI across Scotland. One of its main aims is to provide, in easily accessible formats, high-quality information for people with ABI and their families and carers which is relevant to the different stages of the patient journey. One of the MCN's working groups is identifying current practice related to information-giving and is in the process of collecting good examples of the written information made available to patients and their families.

If your constituents or the Service User Forum for Brain Injury would like to find out more, I suggest they get in touch with the Network Manager for the ABI Managed Clinical Network. Her contact details are as follows:
Christine Flannery
Network Manager
MCN Office Administration Building
Astley Ainslie Hospital
Edinburgh EH9 2HN

Your constituents may also be interested to know that the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network is in the process of revising its clinical guideline on acquired brain injury. As part of that process, SIGN now provides information for patients and carers, and would therefore, I am sure, be interested in your constituents' and the Forum's views on the issues which are important to those who are having to come to terms with acquired brain injury. The person to speak to about this is Dr Safia Quereshi, the relevant Programme Director at SIGN. Her contact details are:
SIGN
28 Thistle Street
Edinburgh EH2 1EN

I hope the information in this letter is helpful to you in replying to your constituents.

Nicola Sturgeon