A Welsh MP wants to change the law to help people with brain injuries – including those who suffered brain injuries due to repeated concussions in sport as well as long Covid.
Every Parliamentary term a ballot is held where the names of 20 backbench MPs are chosen at random to choose the topic for a bill to try gather support for it becomes law.
This time three Welsh MPs saw their names selected for private members' bills. Swansea East's Carolyn Harris has opted for a bill about menopause treatments and Cardiff West MP Kevin Brennan chose the topic of musicians' rights and remunerations.
Rhondda MP Chris Bryant says he has chosen the topic of brain injuries because there is a "hidden epidemic" of 1.4m people living with acquired brain injury in the UK, excluding those impacted by strokes, which impacts all areas of government.
Acquired brain injuries includes people who are injured as a result of a blow to the head, hypoxia at birth, foetal alcohol syndrome, brain tumours, and also long Covid. He wants concussion in all levels of sport to be looked at in his Acquired Brain Injury Bill.
"We don't have any proper protocol across all sports on concussion. We see endless reviews about whether someone should have stay on the pitch or not but it's a mess and sports are dragging their heels. This would give a chance to get everyone round the table and share protocols for sport which could be part of a wider strategy," he said.
His bill would require the government to consult on, publish and review a strategy for acquired brain injuries including measures to prevent brain injuries, especially amongst the young and including concussion in sport.
Former Wales international Alix Popham, 41, revealed his diagnosis of early onset dementia as he publicly joined what could be a landmark legal case alongside seven other players against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union, and the Welsh Rugby Union. Those players claim the governing bodies failed to protect them from the risks caused by concussions.
The bill would look at the provision of neurological rehab services and the treatment of people in the armed forces and prisoners.
Mr Bryant said that in America it is a requirement that if a soldier is injured as a result of an improvised explosive device they receive checks for brain trauma which may not be immediately obvious but that doesn't happen in the UK.
Prisoners have a high rate of brain injuries too, he explained, and Covid is also having an impact. He said he wants a joined-up service between care in hospital and the community.
He said his inspiration for the bill has been family stories but also the wives of rugby players in his Rhondda constituency visiting to tell him about their husbands with depression, anxiety, mood swings, and changes in behaviour. Teachers too have told him stories of children who have had brain injuries and people rallied round with support in the initial months but that then fades away highlighting a gap in provision.
The bill was presented to the Commons on June 16 and will have its second reading on Friday, December 3.
