A Life Worth Living?
Every week, 85 more people survive severe head injury. They, and 70,000 others like them, owe their lives to advances in neurosurgery and intensive care. They survive with brain damage, and for many, that's when the excellent professional help dries up. For once these patients are off the critical list, no one in the health or social services seems to know whose responsibility they are. They may have appalling physical and psychological problems, but they are sent back home to their families. What they need is rehabilitation: it does exist on the NHS, but only for a fortunate few. Susan Rae asks whether the medical profession is saving lives, only to waste them.
Research MARGARET ENEFER Producer BRIAN JAMES
EditorCOLINCAMERON.BBCNorth West
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