The Walton Centre is the UK's only dedicated spine, brain and pain management centre and sits adjacent to the major trauma hospital, Aintree University Hospital. All brain injury patients go straight from the Aintree to The Walton. 20 per cent more people have come through the Walton Centre's doors in the last five years and with constant emergency cases, it too, like any other hospital, is struggling with pressure on bed numbers and a full Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU).

22-year-old Sophie has been in ITU for almost 12 months. After what seemed, at first, to be just a common cold Sophie suffered serious inflammation of the brain stem. It damaged the part of the brain that tells her to breathe, controls eye movement and the muscles around her throat that affect swallowing and speaking. Between January and August, Sophie had to be resuscitated 20 times. Now, despite fully recovering in most ways and looking well, she still needs to be on a ventilator at night with it on standby during the day. She could stop breathing at any time. Sophie wants to go home but until funding and round the clock care can be organised there is nowhere for her to go. It is care she may need for the rest of her life. Until that happens, she is stuck living in ITU that, so far, has cost the hospital an estimated half a million pounds.

Tom also looks physically well. He has been medically fit for two months but he too has had to remain at The Walton Centre. The 18-year-old was the driver in a car accident. Such was the force of the crash he was thrown out of the rear window sustaining significant head injuries. Tom now struggles to remember even the simplest things but doesn't think there is anything wrong with him anymore and repeatedly tries to leave. The Walton's consultants say they have done all they medically can and Tom now urgently needs the expertise of rehabilitation specialists if he is to recover further. There are only nine suitable cognitive rehabilitation beds available across the whole of Liverpool's NHS system so The Walton has no choice but to turn to private rehabilitation services and seek funding for a place for Tom. It could take many more weeks to organise while Tom remains in the acute ward at The Walton.

For three years trainee nurse Michaela has been a regular in the Walton's operating theatres but not as a member of staff. A fluid filled cavity on her spinal cord was discovered when Michaela started getting pain in her arms, had difficulty swallowing and became clumsy. Multiple operations later and Michaela now has large amounts of scar tissue around the brain stem, which her surgeon wants to clear because her pain and sickness is getting worse. It is a difficult procedure with a risk of permanent disability. Michaela is terrified of becoming a burden to her family and fiance. What makes it more daunting for Michaela is that her surgeon also wants to open up her back to investigate the drains that should be relieving the pressure in the fluid cavity. Michaela and her fiance Andrew are due to get married in May. She wants to be well enough for the big day and to be able to live a normal life together afterwards.

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