Occupational Therapy (OT)

Our Occupational Therapists (OTs) work with people of all ages, who through changes in physical, cognitive, or environmental/social factors are experiencing difficulties with their day-to-day activities. We support people to manage the impact these changes can bring. Occupation to us is not isolated to work but encompasses the activities or occupations people do every day for example feeding themselves, washing and dressing, accessing the community. Occupations may form important and complex routines, roles, and daily responsibilities (RCOT 2022).

The Occupational Therapist will work closely with other members of the team such as the physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, dieticians, doctors, and nurses.

Occupational Therapists are high level problem solvers and will use everyday activities as a therapeutic tool to help you retrain lost skills or advise on how tasks can be adapted to promote belonging, participation, and safety. This may be by providing alternative techniques and practical support to facilitate recovery or to overcome barriers preventing you from doing the activities that matter to you such preparing a meal, supporting a loved one or leisure and work activities.

All our qualified Occupational Therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). The HCPC provides a code of professional conduct which all Occupational Therapists on the register adhere to. To check to see if your Occupational Therapist is registered or for more details visit: www.hpc-uk.org. Our OTs are also supported by occupational therapy assistants, rehabilitation support workers, associate practitioners, and OT Apprentices.

For more information on Occupational Therapy please visit The Royal College of Occupational Therapy website.

Professional Lead: Emma Pope

Hospital Intervention Team: The Hospital Intervention Team (HIT) comprising of specialist nurses, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. HIT receive referrals from the gateway wards (A&E, CDU, AMU, SDEC (same day emergency care) and fracture clinic, for patients deemed medically fit to leave hospital, who require further assessment by the MDT to facilitate a safe and timely discharge as well as identifying the need for onward referrals for short term support at home.

We have teams at:
Conquest Hospital

Eastbourne District General Hospital

Integrate Discharge Team: This service provides assessment and interventions to plan for discharge from the acute setting which may include discharging people home with support or for end-of-life care needs, as well as more complex discharge planning including home environment assessments and complex moving and handling equipment.

We have teams at:
Conquest Hospital

Eastbourne District General Hospital

Orthopaedics: Our orthopaedic Occupational Therapists provide assessment and intervention for individuals with following fractures including ankle, hips, humeral and spinal fractures as well as planned joint assessments including hip, knee, shoulder and ankle replacements which may include the pre- operative assessments via virtual clinics and telephone assessments. The team will also provide Occupational Therapy interventions for individuals with general surgery conditions including, bowel conditions, elective surgery, vascular surgery (including amputees) and palliative conditions. Intervention may include prescribing equipment, home environmental assessments, and support prior to admission to hospital as well as providing intervention post operatively on the ward and completing onward referrals into other healthcare settings.

Orthopaedics Conquest Hospital

Orthopaedics Eastbourne District General Hospital

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI): Our specialist OT works with individuals who have an acquired brain injury (ABI) in the acute hospital setting (EDGH and Conquest) and completes cognitive and functional assessments to understand the patients challenges and strengths following brain injury. Following the assessment process, the Occupational Therapist will provide targeted interventions to help the patient achieve their activities of daily living (ADLs) whilst working alongside the ward multidisciplinary teams, The After Trauma Team, IDT Occupational Therapists and the Community Neurological Rehabilitation team to facilitate the hospital discharge process to specialist rehabilitation units or returning home.

ABI OT

Acute Stroke: Within acute stroke the Occupational Therapists provide specialist assessment and intervention for people who have suffered a stroke and are admitted to the acute hospital. This includes assessment and treatment of a wide range of physical, cognitive, visual, and perceptual difficulties as well recommendations for rehab or complex discharge planning.

Acute Stroke Eastbourne District General Hospital

Professional Lead: Emma Pope

Joint Community Rehab (JCR): Is an integrated service (ASC and Health) within JCR Occupational Therapists provide rehabilitation through exercise and activities that are meaningful to the individual. This aims to promote greater independence and quality of life for the person living in the community. They work with individuals with varying medical and surgical conditions and disabilities in their own home, to enable them to reach their personal goals within a time limited service. JCR provides a seven-day service, responding to client’s needs in a timely manner.

The falls prevention service is integrated into JCR, providing multifactorial falls assessments, exercise programmes and groups.

We have three teams within the JCR service:

JCR Hastings and Rother

JCR Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford

JCR High Weald, Lewes and High Havens

Community Stroke Rehabilitation: Occupational Therapists work as part of an interdisciplinary team including Physiotherapist, Speech & language Therapist, Stroke Nurses, Dietitians & Support Workers. They work in a person-centred way, towards occupational goals, identify by their clients.  Occupational Therapists work with stroke survivors to support their recovery & return to independence, as well as limiting the impact of their disability, so they can participation in valued activities. Together with the other team members they also support client’s family & friends. The team may prescribe equipment, carry out functional, perceptual, and cognitive assessment as well as supporting clients with their emotional wellbeing following a life changing stroke or Brain Injury.

The team operate an interdisciplinary service on a 7 day a week basis ensuring comprehensive care for the stroke patient within the community.

Bexhill

Eastbourne

Crisis response: Working collaboratively with nursing colleagues and Integrated Community Service (ICS) Crisis response provide urgent Occupational Therapy assessment in the community to prevent unnecessary hospital admission and accelerate hospital discharge.

Conquest Hospital

Eastbourne District General Hospital

Intermediate Care Rehabilitation: Our rehabilitation units specialise in short stay, multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation, and nursing care for people with a range of conditions including:

• Complex neurology
• Orthopaedic
• Amputee
• Stroke
• Frailty

The Occupational therapy team sits within a supportive and dynamic multidisciplinary team enabling OTs to work closely with Physiotherapists, Dietician’s, Speech and Language Therapists, Nursing, Pharmacy, adult social care, and doctors.  The team are supported by rehabilitation support workers, therapy assistants and activity coordinators who support a holistic approach to rehabilitation. The team has strong links with our acute and community colleagues including joint community rehabilitation team and the community stoke rehabilitation team.

The Occupational Therapist’s intervention may include assessment and rehabilitation, moving and handling, equipment prescription, environmental considerations, and risk assessment as well as standardised and non-standardised assessments.  Rehabilitation covers a full range of activities of daily living, group work, upper limb, and cognitive rehab.  Our aim is to work closely with patients and their families to agree and set personal goals and monitor progress to support patients to regain as much independence as possible to return safely to their discharge destination.

We have OTs based at Bexhill Hospital and Rye, Winchelsea, and District Memorial Hospital

Bexhill Irvine rehabilitation unit

Rye Memorial rehabilitation unit

Post Covid Assessment and Support Service (PCASS): The PCASS team consists of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Nurses, Care Co-ordinators, and Rehab Support Workers who aim to provide a holistic virtual assessment, first line advice, education on self-management strategies, fatigue management and return to work. The team are also able to access to appropriate resources and complete referrals to specialist services as required. They aim to promote a personalised care approach ensuring shared decision making at every stage of the pathway.

There are also OTs within other roles within the trust such as specialist equipment, development lead, MND coordinator, discharge coordinator and dementia care.

Services we link with:

• Stroke https://www.esht.nhs.uk/service/stroke/
• Rehab https://www.esht.nhs.uk/service/rehabilitation/
• After trauma team https://www.esht.nhs.uk/service/rehabilitation/after-trauma-team/
• Dementia Care https://www.esht.nhs.uk/service/dementia-care/
• Orthopaedics https://www.esht.nhs.uk/service/trauma-and-orthopaedics/
• Bexhill Irvine Unit https://www.esht.nhs.uk/hospitals-and-community/bexhill-hospital/irvine-unit/
• Rye, Winchelsea and District Memorial https://www.esht.nhs.uk/hospitals-and-community/rye-winchelsea-and-district-memorial-hospital/