Seven years ago he was a fit and healthy, self-employed father-of-one but his life changed dramatically when, without warning, he suffered a massive brain haemorrhage and dropped off the scaffolding. He was left paralysed down one side.

The major causes of head injury are road traffic accidents, falls and accidents at home or at work.

On Friday Peter will address health professionals and local authority staff who provide services for those with an acquired brain injury in a bid to help improve services for people wherever they live in Scotland.

Professionals and brain injured people from as far afield as Shetland will attend the event in Perth’s Conference and Concert Hall in the hope services can improve and remove the “postcode lottery” that means sufferers in one region get access to services that sufferers in another do not.

“Brain injury can affect anyone at any time,” said Peter. “There was no warning before I had my haemorrhage and yet it changed my life.”

The conference, organised by the charity Headway, is titled Looking to the future of acquired brain injury in Scotland — What lies ahead?

There are thousands of Scots living with the devastating long-term consequences of brain injury.

Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Public Health, will be the keynote speaker at the conference and will report on the Scottish Government’s view on the importance of a recently-established professional network aimed at delivering improved care for everyone no matter where they live.

“Acquired brain injury is particularly cruel, as it often strikes people who have lived otherwise healthy lives and its repercussions can affect survivors and their families for many years,” said Ms Robison.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the thousands of Scots living with ABI.

“That’s why we’re supporting the National Managed Clinical Network on ABI in its aim of making sure high-quality care and information are made available for survivors and their families.”