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Community Head Injury Service – information for referrers

“Working together in the community to achieve the best for people with brain injury”

We aim to support people with the short, medium and long-term consequences of brain injury.

Experienced, friendly, knowledgeable team

The Community Head Injury Service (CHIS) is based at Brookside Clinic in Aylesbury and provides services to the whole of Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas.

The service is provided by an inter-disciplinary team including:

  • Clinical Neuropsychology
  • Community Practitioner
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Work Placement Consultant
  • Assistant/Administrative support

Who do we see?

We provide core and specialist vocational neurorehabilitation to adults (aged 16+) with:

  • Head Injury
  • Cerebral Anoxia
  • Encephalitis and Meningitis
  • Sub Arachnoid Haemorrhage
  • Non-Progressive Cerebral Tumours
  • Mild Head Injury with persisting post-concussion symptoms

We also see patients with other acquired brain injury conditions in our specialist vocational rehabilitation service. Please contact us to discuss.

Referral information

Services we provide

CHIS will see clients at Brookside Clinic, in their own homes, within the local community or their workplace as appropriate to their needs. We provide specialist person-centred, goal-directed community brain injury rehabilitation including:

Specialist assessment

  • Neuropsychological Assessment
  • Specialist Therapy Assessment eg. Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy & Physiotherapy
  • Vocational Assessment

Individual therapy and group programmes

For example:

  • Psychological intervention
  • Cognitive rehabilitation
  • Managing emotions
  • Return to work and work retention
  • Vocational Activity Groups
  • Fatigue management
  • Personal independence
  • Managing communication
  • Education programme
  • Technology group

Services for families

We also provide specialist support for families:

  • Education and long-term family follow up
  • Carer support
  • Couple/family counselling

The two teams that make up our service:

Rehabilitation team

Focusing on core rehabilitation needs associated with daily living independence, meaningful activity, vocational support, understanding of and managing consequences of brain injury and management of psychological difficulties post injury. For example:

  • Persistent cognitive, behavioural or emotional changes
  • Fatigue
  • Psychological distress
  • Reduced personal independence
  • Dizziness

Working out team

Our vocational rehabilitation team provide support to working-aged adults in their return to work. This could be paid employment, work experience, higher education or volunteering opportunities.

Our tailored activities for a patient’s vocational needs can include attending a work preparation group, community-based activities and individual project work. Some examples:

  • Educational group sessions and discussions
  • Job coaching and placement consultation
  • CV writing and feedback
  • Strategies to manage limitations at work
  • Reasonable Adjustments and Disclosure

Client feedback

“Without the team I wouldn’t be where I am now, they are very supportive and motivational.” 

Additional referral information

Our specialist vocational neurorehabilitation service is open to all patients with acquired brain injury (including those with stroke) once core out-patient neurorehabilitation has been completed by the appropriate service. Such referrals might typically be suitable 6+ months after an injury.

Immediate resettlement input following discharge from acute or post-acute inpatient services should be met by local community therapy teams prior to the neurorehabilitation provided by CHIS.

However, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss a potential referral where you think a patient’s needs might be best met by CHIS.

How can we help …

If you have any questions about our services, location or transport, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Refer to us

To refer someone to the CHIS please write or email us using the contact information below with details of the patient. We will send you a referral form that we would ask you to complete to help our assessment process.

Contact us at

Telephone: 01296 255 730

Email: buc-tr.CHIS@nhs.net

Out address:

Community Head Injury Service
Brookside Clinic
Station Way
Aylesbury
HP20 2SR