Our Guide on Brain Injury Case Management for Clients & Families

Looking to Understand More About Case Management & What Specialist Case Managers Do?

For many people who have sustained a severe injury, (such as a brain injury, spinal cord injury or birth injury), it is sometimes suggested that a case manager might be of help. If you have never had a case manager you may not know exactly what this person might do and how they might help.

Who Acts As A Case Manager?

A case manager should be a qualified health or social care professional. Case managers will have experience of working with individuals who have similar needs to you/your family member.

We at BABICM recommend that all case managers working with people with complex needs should be a member of BABICM. BABICM Advanced members have demonstrated significant experience, skills and knowledge in working with clients with complex needs. They should also have extensive knowledge about rehabilitation and what can help improve your day to day life.

What Do Case Managers Do?

Case managers work closely with you to identify what is important to you now and what might be important to you in the future. They then work with you to assist you in meeting your ongoing needs. Case managers continually review things with you and provide support to you as your life changes.

A case manager is often the person who deals with everyone who is there to help you. This might involve:

• Rehabilitation: A case manager can discuss with you whether you would benefit from therapy input. This means working on difficulties that are due to an injury and trying to improve how able you are. This might include psychological support to adjust to changes as a result of your injury or if you would like to improve your mental health.

If you are experiencing pain or a change in your physical abilities, it might be appropriate to involve a physiotherapist. There might be a team of therapists arranged to work with you. This is sometimes referred to as a multidisciplinary team.

• Support/Care: A case manager might help you put some support in place if you need help getting ready in the mornings/evenings or if you need assistance from someone to get out and about in the community and to do activities
• Occupation: The case manager can help you in liaising with previous employers or pursuing new work opportunities, accessing leisure activities and/or pursuing interests.
• Housing/Equipment: A case manager might help you adapt your house by sourcing an architect and a specialist who understands your disability to make sure you can access all the areas in the house and use all the facilities, like the bathroom and kitchen, and that you can get in/out to the garden

The case manager will help guide you through the different options available to you and follow through the choices you make.

Where Do Case Managers Work?

Case managers work throughout the UK either for a particular case management company or individually. Case managers will work with you in your own home and in your local area.

It is really important that your case manager should be someone who you feel you could work with. They need to be a really good communicator and have experience of working with other people with similar needs. You need to feel happy to contact them and ask them to assist you with the things you need. They should be organised as they are the person co-ordinating services for you. You need to feel that they understand you and what is important to you.

What is the cost of Case Management: How much would I pay?

Many people will have a case manager suggested to them if they are pursuing a compensation claim. If this is the case then your solicitor will include the costs of the case manager in your claim.

A case manager usually has an hourly rate and charges for time they spend visiting you, writing reports, telephone conversations and for dealing with other people on your behalf or if they are organising things for you. They would have a different rate for travel time and will charge mileage also.

For our policy and guidance on raising a concern or complaint about individual brain injury case managers, please click here. 

For further information and to speak to BABICM about brain injury and complex case management, please contact us.