HITU Patient Information | North Bristol NHS Trust

What is the Head Injury Therapy Unit?

The Head Injury Therapy Unit (HITU) is a rehabilitation service for people who have had a traumatic brain injury. We are based at the Frenchay Beckspool Building in Bristol.

We see clients at our base in Frenchay, at home, at work, or in community facilities. Where we see you will depend on your own needs and abilities.

Brain injury can result in physical, thinking, emotional, and communication difficulties. Some of these difficulties may not always be obvious but can affect a person’s ability to return to their work, social and family life, and reduce participation in their community.

The aim of rehabilitation is to help you lead a life that is as full and independent as possible.

We see people who have recently been discharged from hospital, as well as people who may have had their brain injury many years ago but are in need of further support from a specialist team.

The HITU offers: brain injury education; individual and group sessions; specialist brain injury assessment and rehabilitation and support and advice to family, friends, and carers.

Who will I see and how often?

You will be given a timetable each month with your appointments for that month. We will try as best we can to consider days and times that work best for you. The number of appointments you have and who you see will be guided by your rehabilitation needs and goals.

The length of time we see you will be guided by your own personal rehabilitation goals.

You will meet regularly with your keyworker to review progress. This is a member of the therapy team who will be your ‘go to’ person for any questions or concerns you have.

Depending on your needs and goals for rehabilitation you may see all, or only some of the therapists:

What happens now?

You have been invited in for a consultation at the unit. This is so we can get to know you and understand the difficulties that you are having. This will help us identify the members of the team that need to be involved.

Following your first appointment, you will then attend assessment sessions with the therapists. From these assessments, we will write a report then meet with you and your significant others to discuss the outcome of the assessments and make a plan for rehabilitation.

You will then set goals and therapy will help you work toward these goals.

What are goals?

Goals are set in the discussion with yourself and the team. They are central to the rehabilitation process.

Goals will be reviewed at 10 week intervals.

Goals are set around things that are important to you. As an example they may be set around areas such as:

Improving your ability to concentrate or remember things
Increasing abilities and/or independence around the home
Increasing knowledge about your brain injury
Returning to work or leisure/social activities
Finding ways to manage communication and swallowing difficulties
Supporting emotional adjustment after brain injury
Improving your mobility or physical fitness

What we need from you

Motivation and willingness to participate in sessions
To practice and apply what you have done in sessions between our visits
To let us know as far in advance as possible if you are unable to attend sessions

Limited or non-attendance to sessions will lead to a client being discharged from the service.

Your first appointment

Please complete the information and consent forms we have sent you with your appointment letter and bring them with you. If you have problems completing the forms, we can do it with you during your appointment.

It may be helpful to bring a family member, carer, or friend to support you. Please bring your reading glasses and/or hearing aid if you use them.

People who have attended the service have said:

“The treatment I received from HITU was instrumental to my recovery.”

“HITU provides a welcoming and positive atmosphere and I am very grateful for all their help.”

“The groups and individual sessions have been very informative and have enabled me to learn and practise new coping strategies and I will use these in the future.”

“I have received the best care possible and feel very grateful to have been a patient with HITU. Thank you.”

We look forward to meeting with you! If you have any questions or concerns, do get in touch:

Head Injury Therapy Unit (HITU)
Frenchay Beckspool Building
Frenchay Park Road
Frenchay
Bristol
BS16 1LE

0117 414 3280
Mon - Fri, 8.30am - 4.30pm

If you or the individual you are caring for need support reading this leaflet please ask a member of staff for advice.