West Heath House - The Disabilities Trust

What is West Heath House?Located in Birmingham, West Heath House is aspecialist rehabilitation centre that provides residentialrehabilitation for people with acquired brain injury. Itforms part of the nationwide network of rehabilitationsupport services provided by The Brain InjuryRehabilitation Trust (BIRT).What does it do?West Heath House works with people who have to copewith a range of cognitive, physical and/or emotionalsymptoms following a severe brain injury. Rehabilitationis based on a neurobehavioural approach and focuses onenabling service users to function more independentlyand to participate in as many of their previous roles andactivities as possible, while developing their lives withprivacy, dignity and respect.3

FacilitiesLocated in an attractive suburb of Birmingham,West Heath House offers an outstanding settingfor rehabilitation. All service users have their owncomfortable en suite bedroom, complemented byspacious and well-appointed communal areas for diningand relaxation including a computer suite, games roomand a specialised physiotherapy room. The sensory gardenis designed to provide additional therapeutic value.Rehabilitation takes place in a modern, tranquil and wellequipped environment. Service users enjoy access to awide range of therapeutic groups, such as management ofstress and anxiety, memory, brain injury awareness, socialskills, fitness, healthy eating and recreational activitiesincluding daily living skills such as laundry, budgeting,menu planning and gardening.Within the main 24-bed residential unit there are two selfcontainedflats which allow service users to progress to agreater degree of independence whilst remaining withinthe building.4

EnvironmentAccess to the wider community forms an important partof rehabilitation. Its close proximity to leisure facilitiesand easy access to Birmingham city centre, with its vibrantshopping and entertainment scene makes West HeathHouse ideally situated for social integration and also offersopportunities for education and work placements.West Heath House works closely with BIRT’s CommunityServices, which provide supported housing facilities in theBirmingham area.Family supportWest Heath House operates family support for relatives ofservice users to provide education and emotional support,both individually and within a group setting.5

AssessmentWhen a service user is admitted to West Heath Housethey undergo a 12 week neurobehavioural assessmentto determine their potential for social reintegration andincreased independence. This includes assessments of,for example, cognitive skills, the nature and frequency ofany challenging behaviour and the service user’s abilityto engage with the community and complete functionaldaily tasks.At the end of the assessment period, a meeting is heldat which family, funder and other involved parties jointhe team to discuss the results. This enables the teamto identify any barriers to recovery and link these witha course of rehabilitation and support, while also takinginto account the aspirations of the service user and familymembers.6

RehabilitationIf a formal course of rehabilitation is recommended,the service user begins an individualised treatmentprogramme. This includes learning and therapeuticsessions, personal, social and domestic skills, guidedleisure time, community access, behavioural managementand vocational training and support. Service users areactively involved in reviewing their progress against preagreedoutcomes.The average length of a residential placement variesdepending on an individual’s needs. In 2011, two thirdsof services users were discharged within 12 months oftheir admission date. Many service users move on to livein a more independent supported environment in thecommunity. West Heath House also offers continuingrehabilitation for those who have completed intensiverehabilitation yet need to consolidate progress beforemoving on into the community.7

“I always havediscussionsand get regularfeedback aboutprogress andmedical inputfrom this service.”ReferrerClinical practice andclinical teamThe clinical team at West Heath House comprisesprofessionals from a wide range of disciplines, all of whomare recognised in their field as having special expertisein the management of brain injury. The team is led by aconsultant in neuropsychology and rehabilitation andincludes clinical psychologists, a speech and languagetherapist, physiotherapists, occupational therapists andrehabilitation support teams.Clinical practice is based on a neurobehavioural approachand focuses on a combination of social and behaviouralinterventions to aid recovery of independence. Theemphasis of assessment is on a systematic and structuredobservation of behaviour and skills in everyday situationsand tasks. Clinical governance is promoted through BIRT’sClinical Executive, a national forum comprising consultantsin neuropsychology and rehabilitation from across BIRT’sservices. Led by Professor Michael Oddy, the ClinicalExecutive is committed to promoting clinical governance,training and research, as well as developing and reviewingclinical policies and procedures.AccreditationWest Heath House has been awarded full accreditation withthe Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities(CARF), and is registered with the Care Quality Commission(CQC), receiving consistently excellent reports.8

Continuum of careBIRT offers a nationwide continuum of services for peoplewith acquired brain injury including post-acute hospitalbasedrehabilitation, assessment and rehabilitation,continuing rehabilitation and community support services.The duration of placements at West Heath House varies,depending on the service user’s level of need and theirpotential for rehabilitation.9

James’ StoryJames Campbell suffered hypoxic brain injury following acardiac arrest. He was admitted to Worcester Royal Infirmarybefore being transferred to Moseley Hall Hospital, where heremained heavily sedated due to aggressive behaviour. At thetime of his injury he had been sleeping rough.When he came to West Heath House, James was facedwith a number of serious challenges including verbal andphysical aggression, impulsivity and vulnerability to others.His mobility was good, although he sometimes suffered withcommunication problems due to a slight hearing impairment.Due to his problematic behaviours whichincluded aggression, James participatedin a structured rehabilitation programme.This included interventions that followedclinically led guidelines to help him regainlost skills and minimised the use ofmedication.James’ programme now includes attendinga community support group each week,as well as a twice-weekly voluntaryplacement at a nearby farm, where he helps to look after theanimals. He particularly enjoys looking after the horses. Jamesalso participates in daily living skills such as meal planning,cooking and laundry and enjoys a wide range of leisureactivities including horse riding, trips to the cinema, bowlingand a weekly meal in a restaurant.As he becomes more independent, James has told us that hewould like to have his own flat, and he is currently looking tomove into supported accommodation in a house within thecommunity.10

“The staff teamare very organisedand there isexcellent liaisonwith the serviceusers’ families.”ReferrerOutcomes for service usersBIRT uses a series of standardised rating scales to assesscognitive, emotional and behavioural changes over time.Each service user is assessed during their first month ofadmission. These results are then compared with the samemeasurements sampled during the last month prior todischarge. This includes monitoring of mood, behaviourand motivation, together with any demonstrationof verbal or physical aggression. As well as enablingus to measure service users’ progress, the outcomemeasurement system also acts as a valuable tool forindividual goal setting during the rehabilitation programmeand informs the ongoing care pathway.In 2011 13 new service users were admitted, meaningWest Heath House served 32 people with brain injuryduring the year. There was a 50% reduction in aggressionwhen comparing admission to discharge. 91% of serviceusers were admitted from residential services, yet 37%moved from West Heath House to live independently orinto supported living. At discharge, 64% of service userswere involved in occupational activity. 91% of serviceusers required full time supervision on admission, thisreduced to 55% on discharge with 45% requiring rated asindependent or requiring only part time supervision.12

Quality and value for moneyBIRT’s continuum of care ensures that in most cases areduction in costs occurs as a service user moves towardsgreater independence. On average, the lifetime costsavings are between £800,000 and £1 million, if a serviceuser is admitted within one year of brain injury.*Reducing costs through the BIRT continuum - a case study:When Steven came to BIRT, any attempt to engage withhim resulted in outbursts of violence and aggression. Aftermoving through BIRT’s continuum of services, costs werereduced as follows:Challenging Behaviour Assessment & Rehabilitation CentreReduction of£750 per weekor 39k per annumChallenging Behaviour Continuing Rehabilitation CentreReduction of£438 per weekor 22k per annumAssessment and Rehabilitation CentreReduction of£712 per weekor 37k per annumCommunity Supported Housing schemeThe savings shown are the costs that would have beenincurred had Steven not moved through the BIRTcontinuum. Coupled with the high satisfaction ratingsfrom service users, families and referring agencies, researchdata confirms that BIRT delivers quality and value formoney from admission to discharge.14* Peer-reviewed research data references are available atwww.birt.co.uk/valueformoney. Fees correct at time of print.

Where we areWest Heath House is located at the centre of the UKmotorway network, and is easily reached from the M6, M5or M42.Service Manager, Brain Injuries Rehabilitation Trust West Heath House54 Ivy House RoadWest HeathBirmingham B38 8JWTel. 0121 459 0909 Fax: 0121 459 0910Email: west.heath@thedtgroup.orgFor further information about West Heath House pleasecontact the service manager at the address above.“The staff gave mereally terrific support.I now realise justwhat an invaluableresource BIRT is.”LukeReferralsReferrals should be made directly to West Heath House.We accept referrals from a wide range of agenciesincluding health, social services, medico-legal and otherspecialist providers.15

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation TrustThe Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) provides acontinuum of care for people with acquired brain injury,from post-acute hospital based rehabilitation, assessmentand rehabilitation, continuing rehabilitation and supportedhousing and home support. Through our range ofspecialist services, we aim to enable people to functionmore independently in the wider community and developtheir lives in ways they choose.For more information about our work please contact:The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust60 Queen Street, Normanton, Wakefield, WF6 2BUTel: 01924 896100Fax: 01924 899264Email: director@birt.co.ukThe Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust is a division of TheDisabilities Trust and the means by which it provides itsbrain injury services.Founded in 1979, The Disabilities Trust is now establishedas one of the UK’s leading charities, offering imaginative,progressive services to people with autism, brain injury,physical disability and learning disability.The Disabilities TrustFirst Floor, 32 Market Place, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9NPTel: 01444 239123 Fax: 01444 244978 Email: info@thedtgroup.orgThe Disabilities Trust is a company limited by guarantee incorporatedin England and Wales under 2334589 and registered as a charity inEngland and Wales under 800797 and in Scotland under SC038972.Registered office as shown.www.birt.co.uk