Below, read Chief Executive of Headway UK, Peter McCabe’s letter of support to our local services provided here at Oxford Head Injury Services. The continued support of the national charity is fully appreciated.
“For over 30 years, Oxford Head Injury Services has been providing support to individuals and families across the county affected by acquired brain injury. In that time, the charity has helped thousands of people to rebuild their lives, relearn lost skills that many of us take for granted, and regain varying degrees of independence.
The value of the charity’s work cannot be overstated. Over the years, Oxford Head Injury Services’s work has prevented numerous families from falling apart and requiring more costly long-term support as a result. Through its family and carers support programmes, rehabilitation sessions including life skills and IT training, and its outreach and community support services, the charity has been a lifeline to a great many families who might otherwise not have coped.
The value for money provided by Oxford Head Injury Services is exceptional. Without the intervention of the charity, many families would have felt unable to cope and may have been forced to turn to the council to provide residential care for a loved one with a brain injury. This action would be at a huge cost to the public purse – a cost far in excess of supporting an established, local charity with a history of helping people cope with the long-term effects of brain injury.
We recognise that Oxfordshire County Council – like all other councils across the UK – is facing an unprecedented squeeze on funding as a consequence of cuts in support from central government. However, investing in charities and services that can prevent additional burden to associated public services (GPs, mental health services, hospitals, residential care, and the criminal justice system to name a few) has to continue.
Cutting funding to Oxford Head Injury Services could result in this vital charity being forced to close its doors. The effect of this would be catastrophic not only to the hundreds of local families it supports, but in the long run to the public purse.
I urge the people of Oxfordshire to help ensure Headway can continue to provide services to some of the most vulnerable people in their local community.”
