A FORMER Barrow and Furness MP has said he was 'staggered' by the lack of knowledge he encountered on concussion when he was afflicted by it.

Lord Walney told peers in the House of Lords that even 'fairly senior professionals in the medical industry' had been found wanting when it came to education on the condition.

He said he previously suffered from concussion for two years, the result of falling off a ladder at his home on Walney in 2012. 

Lord Walney, who was MP for Barrow between 2010 and 2019, was speaking during a discussion on new guidance on concussion in grassroots sport.

The tagline of the guidance, put together by the Government and the Sport and Recreation Alliance, is 'if in doubt, sit them out'.

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The advice encourages people to familiarise themselves with the steps needed to recognise signs of the condition, remove those suspected of suffering from it from play immediately, and return safely to daily activity, work and, ultimately, sport. It includes a recommendation for 111 to be called within 24 hours following a potential concussion.

Lord Walney described the new guidelines as 'very welcome' in the House of Lords but expressed 'fear' they could be the beginning, rather than the end, of a 'profound period of change'.

"Future generations may look back with horror at the way in which people playing sport, particularly younger people, are subjected to risk of severe brain injury with practices at the moment," he said.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, parliamentary under secretary of state for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, responded by saying the guidance was an 'important first step'.

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"We want more people to be active and to play sports, but to do so in a way which is safe," he said.

"[The guidance] is a baseline for national governing bodies to make sure that people who play sports, whichever sport it is, can do so safely and enjoyably."

The new grassroots concussion advice can be viewed by visiting tinyurl.com/57xjdfah