Occupational Therapy Services

We work across various teams within the hospital

Acute Intervention Team

Occupational Therapists provide a 7 day service to the 21 medical & surgical wards within the Trust. Sometimes when you have had surgery or been unwell you may find it difficult to complete your daily tasks. We can assess your function to determine if:

• You struggle to get in/out of bed, on/off the toilet, stand from an armchair
• Find it difficult to get washed & dressed or complete kitchen tasks
• Identify any changes to your memory & how that can effect your function

The Occupational therapist will:

• Complete an assessment to identify if you are able to return home or if you require a period of further rehabilitation
• Identify any equipment you may need in order to be discharged home
• Attend regular ward meetings to update the team about your progress
• Work closely with the ward staff, medical/surgical team, physiotherapists, discharge managers, mental health OT & nurses, social work team and other members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team
• Identify if you would benefit from an assessment from another member of the hospital team
• Refer you to specialist community services for assessment at home if required

Complex Care Team

We provide Occupational Therapy to the Acute Stroke Unit and patients on the general wards who have come into hospital following a stroke, head injury of other neurological condition. We provide a seven day service ans also cover critical care units including ITU and HDU. As Occupational Therapists we look at what you were able to do for yourself before becoming unwell. This inlcudes day to day tasks such as:

• Getting washed and dressed
• Walking
• Getting on and off furniture
• Hobbies
• Employment

We work with you setting goals to help re-gain your independence for example being able to sit out of bed, or to have a wash each morning. People can have problems with their memory and concentration following their illness, Occupational Therapists will work with you if required to help address any problems. We work closely with physiotherapists, ward nurses, discharge co-ordinators and the medical team to ensure all your needs and concerns are met prior to your discharge home.

Elective Orthopaedics

Occupational Therapy can help you to live your life as independently as possible within your own home environment. We help you to find solutions and solve problems you may encounter following a planned operation.

Pre-admission Clinic

We can see you prior to your operation, as an out-patient in a pre-admission therapy assessment clinic to establish any problems you may face following your operation.

Provide you with advice, and necessary equipment you may need at home, to ensure you are safe and independent with your daily activities within your home environment.

Advise on, and demonstrate techniques you can use at home to ensure your safety and independence is maintained following any postoperative precautions.

Obtain accurate measurements of your joints and recommend a home exercise programme to complete prior to surgery.

Orthopaedics Ward

Advise you about other organisations that may be beneficial in assisting you to manage at home following your operation, for example, Social Services, and providers of specialist equipment.

See you on the ward following your operation, alongside the physiotherapists to provide support and rehabilitation.

Splints may be provided to relieve pain, give support and reduce swelling in your operated joint.

Working closely with the physiotherapists, ward nurses, discharge coordinators and the medical team to ensure all your needs and concerns are met prior to discharge home.

Emergency Department

Occupational therapists within the Emergency Department assess patients with a variety of conditions from simple falls and fractures/soft tissue injuries/back pain to complex mental health and social issues. We employ a wide range of skills in order to advise you and facilitate a timely, safe discharge either back to your home or if required and with your consent, a transfer to one of our Intermediate Care Settings for short-term rehabilitation or re-ablement.

We will assess and issue you with any walking aids required. We will assess and issue you with any equipment deemed essential for discharge and refer you on for anything else that will increase your independence e.g. Community Occupational Therapy Team, Social Services, Wheelchair Unit, Lifehouse, Community Physiotherapy, Falls Clinic.

We work closely with our Emergency Response Team of nurses who can provide an prompt package of care or nurse visits if this is required on discharge home.

We can also visit you at home (with your consent) if this is required to assess your environment to help reduce any immediate risk of falls, or problems affecting your independence and safety.

Gerontology

We work as part of a multi disciplinary team (MDT) which include: Physiotherapists, Medical/ nursing staff, Parkinsons nurse, Podiatrist and Dieticians. We:

• Provide Clinical assessments and triage of patients in a clinical setting
• Carry out home safety assessments and follow up home visit assessments
• Refer to local authority services when providing assistive equipment and when patients require specialised assessment
• Refer patients for minor adaptations to the home
• Refer to other service providers if ongoing OT intervention is required
• Referrals are made to Occupational Therapy by other MDT members in the Gerontology Department

Orthopaedic Trauma

The Orthopaedic Trauma OT team is based in the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and provides input to the following areas:

• Orthopaedic Trauma Admissions Unit
• Fractured Neck of Femur Unit
• Two Acute Orthopaedic Trauma Wards
• Orthopaedic patients on outlying wards including ICU
• Limb Reconstruction In and Outpatient Service

The Occupational Therapists can help you find a way to carry out the normal everyday tasks you need to be able to do in order to return home. This might include:

• Setting of appropriate goals for rehabilitation in conjunction with the patient and multi-disciplinary team members
• Temporary changes to your home environment so that you can safely achieve what you need to do
• Recommendations as to levels of assistance required at home
• Suggest appropriate rehabilitation/re-enablement settings
• Assessment and provision of specialist splints to correct and maintain joint position, alleviate pain and maintain range of movement
• Advice on accessing other agencies such as Wheelchair services and providers of assistive equipment.
• Work closely with the physiotherapists, ward nurses, discharge coordinators and the medical team to ensure all your needs and concerns are met prior to your discharge home

Rheumatology

Occupational Therapists can help you find ways to carry out the activities you want or need to do, supporting you in living well with your arthritis. We

• Provide practical solutions to challenges you may face day to day, at home and at work. e.g. return/ remaining in work, preparing a meal
• Teach you ways to manage your condition to maximise your health and wellbeing e.g. Goal setting, relaxation techniques
• Assess your function to determine if splints will reduce your joint pain and improve your function e.g. wrist supports
• Advise you about other organisations that may be beneficial in assisting you to manage your condition e.g. Housing, Social Services and providers of specialist equipment
• Work with all the Rheumatology Team members, including Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Rheumatology Nurses and the medical team

A letter will be sent to your consultant/GP summarising the outcome of your Occupational Therapy appointments when you are discharged.

Stroke Rehabilitation

The stroke rehabilitation Unit is based on ward 8 at Broadgreen hospital and provides rehabilitation to people who have experienced a stroke. The Occupational Therapist will:

• Provide assessment to every patient that is admitted to the Stroke rehabilitation unit.
• Assess you to identify any difficulties you may have following the stroke, this will include physical, such as arm and leg weakness, cognitive, such as memory or reduced concentration, and perceptual impairments such as not recognising familiar objects or not recognising the left or right side of your body or the environment.
• Provide an individual treatment plan based on your needs to help overcome difficulties as well as teaching techniques to adapt to new ways of living.
• Work closely with the physiotherapists, ward nurses, discharge coordinators and the medical team to ensure all your needs and concerns are met prior to your discharge home.
• Advise you about other organisations that may be beneficial in assisting you to manageat home following your stroke, for example, Social Services and providers of specialist equipment.

Upper Limb conditions

Occupational Therapy service is provided to upper limb patients across both hospital sites. We work in close collaboration with Physiotherapy and patients are often treated jointly to improve your treatment time. Patients are often seen pre and post operation and following injury.

We offer:

• Therapy and rehabilitation for whole upper limb
• Pre-operative assessment and education, discussion with surgeon if required.
• Splintage and therapy as required.
• Work assessment/rehabilitation using BTE work simulator.
• Individual rehabilitation programme.
• Wound and scar management
• Sensory assessment and treatment.
• Activities of daily living and advice on adaptive equipment to improve your independence if required.

A letter will be sent to your consultant/GP summarising the outcome of your Occupational Therapy appointments when you are discharged.

Appointments are available at the Royal and Broadgreen hospital sites Monday-Friday; we are able to offer co- ordinated OT and Physiotherapy appointments if required.

Opening hours 8.00am–4.00pm Contact tel: 0151 706 2760

You can request to see an Occupational Therapist. Ask your consultant, G.P or a health professional to refer you.