Occupational Therapy
Adult Services and Children’s Services
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy promotes people’s health and wellbeing through their everyday activities. It is a way of enabling people to achieve as much as they can for themselves and to get the most out of life.
Occupational Therapists are Health and Social Care professionals that aim to improve a patient/client’s physical and functional, psychological or cognitive state. They assess functional ability and give advice on the best ways to carry out daily tasks. They also carry out treatment activities and recommend or provide equipment and adaptations if needed.
There is no charge for an Occupational Therapy Assessment.
An Occupational Therapist can identify problem areas that people may have in their everyday lives and will help them to work out practical solutions to overcome these problems.
Daily tasks can include:
- Getting on/off bed, chair or toilet
- Walking indoors and outdoors
- Managing steps and stairs
- Getting in/out of your home
- Washing, dressing and bathing
- Domestic tasks
- Leisure/work activities
How an Occupational Therapist can help you
An Occupational Therapist will look at the task you are finding difficult and see if there is another way it can be completed. They will do this by breaking it down into small individual steps/parts and will then practice these with you.
Part of your therapy may involve making an environment suitable for your needs. This could be your home or workplace.
Your Occupational Therapist may also give you relevant advice regarding referrals on to other services and can help plan a safe discharge from hospital.
What does a Children’s Occupational Therapist do?
An Occupational Therapist will help your child learn the best way to carry out daily tasks whether it’s personal care, play activities or school work that he/she is unable to do due to physical, developmental or learning difficulties.
Eligibility Criteria
You may be eligible for an Occupational Therapy assessment if you or your child:
- have a short or long term condition that impacts on your ability to carry out daily tasks
- are caring for someone with a disability
Provision of services and equipment is dependent upon the local Fair Access to Care eligibility criteria and other legislative frameworks. This can be discussed with your Occupational Therapist.
However, if you’re not eligible, we can advise you on other options that may be available to help you.
How to access Occupational Therapy
- You can contact the Customer Services Centre on 01803 219700. They will ask you who your GP is and where you live and connect you to your local office. Or someone you know can contact us on your behalf, providing they have your consent.
- A co-ordinator will speak to you to gather some general information. You will be informed of an approximate length of wait before an Occupational Therapist contacts you.
- For Community Occupational Therapy in Torbay, please call 01803 219700
- For Community Occupational Therapy in South Hams / Teignbridge / Devon, please call 0345 1551007
- For Torbay Hospital Inpatient Occupational Therapy, please call 01803 655032
- For Children’s Occupational Therapy, please call 01803 655585
Occupational Therapists work in the following areas:
- Torbay Hospital
- Community Hospitals
- Community Rehabilitation Teams
- Community Intermediate Care Teams
- Community Social Care
- Community Neurological Rehabilitation
- Chronic Fatigue/ME Service
- Children’s Services
- Rheumatology
Contact the Customer Services Team on 01803 219700 for further information.
Occupational Therapists are registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) www.hpc-uk.org