Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal recently paid a visit to the award-winning Briar Centre recognising its leading role in brain injury rehabilitation and transformative care it provides to patients and their families .
Located within NHS Lanarkshire’s Stonehouse Hospital , the Briar Centre has established itself as a national exemplar in specialist rehabilitation since opening .
The Princess Royal toured the purpose-built facility , met with staff , patients and families and learned about innovative and compassionate work being delivered across inpatient and community rehabilitation .
The Princess Royal was received by the Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire Lady Susan Haughey CBE and South Lanarkshire Provost Councillor Margaret Cooper . They were joined by NHS Lanarkshire Chair , Martin Hill , Interim Chief Executive Colin Lauder and Professor Soumen Sengupta , Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership .
Her Royal Highness was introduced to the multi-disciplinary team behind the Briar Centre’s intensive inpatient rehabilitation model . This includes allied health professionals , nurses , neuropsychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists who all contribute to highly individualised rehabilitation journeys .
A highlight of the day was hearing directly from patient Barry Mitchell and former patients Willie Cairns and Lorraine Smith who shared their personal stories of their recovery at the centre . Her Royal Highness also visited therapy rooms , patient accommodation and the centre’s therapeutic garden – where she planted a Princess Anne-Rose , symbolising growth and recovery .