Occupational Therapy

The Occupational Therapy Team Department is based on the main hospital site. A service for both inpatients and outpatients is provided to patients under the treatment of the following specialties:

• Trauma and Orthopaedics

• Medicine

• Hand Therapy

• Stroke and Neurology

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Occupational Therapists provide help to people whose independence has been affected because of their condition. Assessments are carried out within the hospital environment to analyse how people perform their chosen activities which helps establish personal goals. Occupational therapists provide treatments to achieve these goals. This will involve helping people adapt existing skills to enable them to engage in all aspects of their lives or help them learn new ones. Treatments may include advising how to adapt their environments, using equipment to help live more independently and preparing patients for discharge. As a team we are proud of our professional values and have a holistic view to therapy in order to achieve patient centred care.

Therapy Manager: Alison Grant
E-mail: Alison.Grant2@geh.nhs.uk 

Deputy Therapy Manager: Lewis Brady
E-mail: lewis.brady@geh.nhs.uk 

Therapy Administrator: Delia Fisher
E-mail:Delia.Fisher@geh.nhs.uk
Tel: 024 7615 3120

Medicine

Acute medicine:

Occupational Therapists in acute medicine work with patients who experience difficulties in completing activities of daily living due to a wide range of health problems such as heart or lung conditions. The Occupational Therapy team aim to promote personal independence and facilitate safe discharges through assessments and interventions on the ward. Assessments may include gathering information about how a patient was managing before they were admitted to hospital and analysing how they can manage those tasks in hospital, for example washing and dressing. Other assessments may look at a patient’s memory or concentration. Interventions may include practicing new techniques or prescribing equipment to complete tasks a patient is finding difficult, providing education and signposting to external agencies, or referral to rehabilitation services. This team comprises of four senior and two junior Occupational Therapists work alongside Therapy Assistants and a team of other health care professionals. The wards covered by this team are the Acute Medical Unit, Melly, Coronary Care Unit, Elizabeth, Alex, Mary Garth, Adam Bede and Bob Jakin.

Frailty:

The Occupational Therapist within the frailty team is mainly based on the Acute Medical Unit, working alongside a Physician Associate and the rest of the Multi-disciplinary team including Physiotherapists, Nurses and Social workers. Patients seen by the frailty team are those who have a diagnosis of dementia and those who live in care homes. The aim is to complete comprehensive geriatric assessments with the view of looking at the person as a whole, rather than just the problem that brought them into hospital. Safe discharge plans can then be implemented with the patient, their family, with significant others included. The aim is to facilitate timely discharges that are also pro-active in helping to reduce re-admission rates.

Trauma and Orthopaedics

The Occupational Therapy team in trauma and orthopaedics work with patients who have been admitted to hospital due to a traumatic accident or those undergoing planned (elective) surgery. 

Occupational Therapists may provide assessment and interventions to trauma patients who have sustained fractures or other musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries on Nason or Alex Ward. Assessments include analysing the person completing a chosen task and teaching new techniques or prescribing equipment to help complete them independently to support safe discharge home. 

The Occupational Therapy team run the Total Hip Replacement Education Group for those having an elective hip replacement. This aims to provide information about the hip replacement procedure and help patients prepare for surgery prior to admission. Assessments and any further interventions needed are then carried out on Victoria Ward. This team is made up of a senior and a junior Occupational Therapist who work alongside Therapy Assistants and a team of other health care professionals.

Stroke Care

Occupational Therapists work with patients who have been admitted to Felix Holt Ward due to a stroke or similar condition affecting the brain. 

The focus of Occupational Therapy in this team is to help patients maintain independence in activities of daily living and maximising arm and hand function. Assessments are carried out in the ward environment to establish ability in performing chosen activities. Interventions may include practicing new techniques or prescribing equipment to complete tasks a patient is finding difficult, hand and arm rehabilitation, providing education and signposting to external agencies, or referral to rehabilitation services. 

This team is made up of both a senior and junior Occupational Therapists who work alongside Therapy Assistances and a team of other health care professionals.

Surgery and Critical Care

We also cover:

REACT

Hand Therapy

Occupational Therapists work alongside Physiotherapists to provide assessment and treatments for a variety of hand conditions. 

The team provide assessments and treatments for both chronic conditions such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger and acute conditions such as fractures, tendon repairs and joint replacements.  Treatments include rehabilitation classes, splinting, scar management and individualised home exercise programmes. The aim of hand therapy is to enhance patient’s recovery and assist with returning to an optimal level of function. 

Three senior and one junior Occupational Therapist work alongside Physiotherapists and an Extended Scope Practitioner specialising in upper limb conditions.

Jo Newbold, Team lead for Hand Therapy and Rheumatology

Outpatient neurology

The neuro outpatients team aim to maximise potential and maintain current level of ability of all patients who are experiencing difficulties relating to a neurological condition. 

The Occupational Therapist’s role in this team focuses on maintaining independence in activities of daily living and maximising arm and hand function. 

The team works closely with other professionals including Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapy, Dieticians and Psychology to ensure a holistic approach to patient care. One senior and one junior Occupational Therapist work within this team.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Stroke outreach

The stroke outreach team aim to continue the rehabilitation process of stroke patients once they have been discharged home. 

The Occupational Therapist’s role in this team focuses on maintaining independence in activities of daily living and maximising arm and hand function. 

The team works closely with other professionals including Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapy, Dieticians and Psychology to ensure a holistic approach to patient care. One senior and one junior Occupational Therapist work with support from Therapy Assistants in this team.

We also cover:

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (geh.nhs.uk)
Musculoskeletal (MSK)
Neurology
Pain
Pelvic Health

Do you you have crutches, sticks or walking frames which are no longer required? If so could you please return them back to the hospital to be used by other patients.  

An amnesty cage can be found in the porch area of the Rehabilitation Department for you to drop off any equipment no longer required. There is a cage inside the first set of automatic doors where people just need to come through between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.