Occupational Therapy

Community Occupational Therapists assess the needs of adult service users who have disabilities.  We aim to enable you to reach your maximum level of independence in all activities of daily life.

We are able to:

• Give advice on everyday activities such as dressing, getting in and out of the bath, getting in and out of a chair, etc.
• Provide practical assistance and advice to carers, to enable them to continue caring for individuals safely, within their own home environment.

In order to achieve the maximum level of independence we liase closely with others e.g. Health Professionals, Housing, Care Agencies and Social Workers.

What do Community Occupational Therapists provide?

We will visit you in your own home and will talk to you and your carer(s) about the problems you are experiencing.

We may wish you to carry out practical tasks, which will give us a clear picture of what your difficulties are.

To ensure that you receive a complete assessment of your needs, we will need some information about your medical condition and, with your consent, may need to contact your General Practitioner or Consultant.

We may provide any of the following:

• Advice and information on alternative methods of carrying out tasks.
• Equipment to be fitted in your home and instruction in its use.
• Support in the form of recommendations to the relevant  Housing Department for adaptations to your home (e.g. ramping to allow wheelchair access).

The Referral System

Anyone can make a referral to the Community Occupational Therapy Team by contacting the duty system at C2BG on (01495) 315700.

How long will I have to wait for an Occupational Therapy Assessment?

In order to manage the high numbers of requests for Occupational Therapy assessments, we will prioritise those requests which have the most complex and urgent need for help.

It is important that the person making the referral gives as much information as possible to the duty officer.  This is to ensure that you receive an appropriate response, within an agreed timescale, according to your needs.

When we receive the request, we will contact you to discuss your difficulties and arrange a visit to you if it is appropriate.

Other Information

There are other leaflets available, which give more details on: 

• The complaints procedure used by Social Services.
• Disabled Persons Parking Bays.
• Children with Disabilities.