Brett qualified as a Social Worker in 2014 and has since gained diverse experience working across the NHS and Social Care, supporting individuals and their families to navigate complex systems in order to meet goals and affect change. Brett has worked in a wide variety of settings, most recently spending 6 years working at two leading Level 1 neuro-rehabilitation units in London, with adults who have sustained brain and/or spinal cord injury and have highly complex needs requiring intensive multi-disciplinary input and complex care planning. In this work Brett’s main priority has been to keep people at the center of their care and rehabilitation. As a Case Manager, Brett manages adults and young people who have sustained a wide range of catastrophic injuries, including brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation and complex physical and psychological trauma.

After completing a Bachelor of Social Work Degree at the University of Regina, Canada, Brett worked in a variety of settings in both Canada and the United Kingdom, always delivering individualised, compassionate care to patients and families as they navigated recovery and disability. As a Social Worker, Brett has gained experience providing assessment, counselling, advocacy and practical support to patients dealing with a wide range of difficulties, including traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, stroke, progressive neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s, functional mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, organic mental health disorders such as dementia, personality disorder, learning difficulties, diabetes, COPD, drug and alcohol abuse and more. Brett has considerable experience supporting clients and families to minimise the impact that these conditions can have on finances, housing security, and relationships.

Brett’s experience within neuro-rehabilitation includes work at two of London’s Level 1 units, most recently at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, and prior to this the Regional Neurological Rehabilitation Unit within Homerton University Hospital This work enabled him to learn about a range of pioneering approaches in the treatment and management of complex neurological conditions to achieve optimal outcomes. These roles involved the completion of complex psycho-social assessments, close multi-disciplinary working, and supporting patients and families to navigate complex systems in order to secure the best possible outcomes for them. Through this work Brett gained expertise in the rehabilitation of individuals with significant cognitive impairment and in managing challenging behaviours as a consequence of brain injury. Brett coordinated and oversaw the process of discharging and transitioning from hospital to the community on both units, always advocating for positive risk-taking and the least restrictive measures in the process. Brett took a leading role in service development, running bespoke support groups designed to involve patients in service development, and co-ran a group designed to provide psycho-education and emotional support to family members and friends.

Brett has delivered training to other professionals about complex mental capacity assessment, values-based goal setting, and the importance of environmental enrichment within rehab. He is committed to continuing and progressing his professional development, attending a wide breadth of training courses on subjects related to compassion, behaviour management and mental capacity. He is a member of the Brain Injury Social Work Group (BISWG) and is registered with Social Work England and the British Association of Brain Injury and Complex Case Management (BABICM).