Update on Fieldfisher's collaboration with Headway Sussex helpline

Following more than a year of financial support provided to the Headway Sussex Helpline and Wellbeing call service, we are pleased to share that the during the past year, the service received 1,226 calls.

The charity subsequently supported people with acquired brain injury, their family and carers, local authority representatives, such as housing officers.

The type of support offered by trained call handlers includes emotional support and reassurance, education about brain injury and its effects and information about counselling services offered by the charity and also by other local support groups.

A vital aspect of information offered by Headway is to point those affected towards services that can help them, such as financial and medical support. The helpline also offers empathetic support, simply by listening to people's concerns, offering relaxation techniques over the phone and listing emergency out of hours contacts.

People who use the service find it particularly useful to speak to someone who specifically understands brain injury, not least since brain injuries manifest themselves in very different ways.

Read Claire's contribution to our series See the Hidden Me which highlighted some of the difficulties experienced by people with brain injuries not least since symptoms such as cognitive, emotional and behavioural changes are often mistaken as irrational and rude.

Claire is a trustee and volunteer for Headway Sussex.