Therapy Team

Below is information about the different clinical specialists that make up the various rehabilitation teams within the Peninsula. Not all specialists are available as part of every service but should be able to be referred to as appropriate.

Rehabilitation Medicine

Rehabilitation Medicine is a medical speciality that involves the treatment of disabling conditions, active management of disability, and prevention of secondary complications. Doctors in Rehabilitation Medicine deliver the medical management of people with complex disabilities. Although these patients are predominately adults of working age, doctors in this field may also work with children and older adults.

Rehabilitation medicine is made up of four main clinical areas: neurology, musculoskeletal, amputee, and spinal cord injury.

For more information please see the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine website.

Physiotherapy

   

Physiotherapy is a science-based profession and takes a ‘whole person’ approach to health and wellbeing, which includes the patient’s general lifestyle. At the core is the patient’s involvement in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and participation in their treatment.

Physiotherapists use their knowledge and skills to improve a range of conditions associated with different systems of the body, such as Neurology,  Musculoskeletal, Cardiovascular or Respiratory, in a variety of ways:

• exercises designed to improve movement and strength in a specific part of the body – these usually need to be repeated regularly for a set length of time
• activities that involve moving your whole body, such as walking or swimming – these can help if you're recovering from an operation or injury that affects your mobility
• exercises carried out in warm, shallow water (hydrotherapy or aquatic therapy) – the water can help relax and support the muscles and joints, while providing resistance to help you gradually regain your strength.
• advice and exercises to help you increase or maintain your physical activity – advice is given on the importance of keeping active, and how to do this in a safe, effective way.
• providing mobility aids – such as crutches or a walking stick to help you move around.

For more information please see the Charted Society of Physiotherapy website.  

Occupational Therapy

                                         

Occupational Therapy provides practical support to enable people to facilitate recovery and overcome any barriers that prevent them from doing the activities that matter to them. This helps to increase people's independence and satisfaction in all aspects of life.

Occupational therapists work with adults and children of all ages with a wide range of conditions; most commonly those who have difficulties due to a mental health illness, physical or learning disabilities. They can work in a wide variety of settings

Occupational therapists are skilled professionals who find solutions to everyday problems. For example; advising you on approaching a task differently, using equipment or assistive technology, adapting your living or working environment, and finding strategies to reach your chosen goals.

An occupational therapist will consider all your needs - physical, psychological, social and environmental. This support can make a real difference to your life, giving you a renewed sense of purpose, opening up new horizons, and changing the way you feel about the future.

For more information please see the Royal College of Occupational Therapy website.  

Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) provide life-improving treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking or swallowing.

SLTs assess and treat speech, language and communication problems in people of all ages to help them communicate better. They also assess, treat and develop personalised plans to support people who have eating and swallowing problems.

Using specialist skills, SLTs work directly with clients and their carers and provide them with tailored support. They also work closely with other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses and psychologists to develop individual treatment programmes.

For more information please see the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy website. 

Dietetics

A Dietitian is a health professional who helps to promote nutritional well-being, treat disease and prevent nutrition-related problems by providing practical, safe advice, based on current scientific evidence

Dietitians translate nutrition science into understandable, practical information about food, allowing people to make. appropriate lifestyle and food choices. They help treat a range of medical conditions with dietary therapy that is especially tailored to each individual. They also advise on healthy eating for all ages, races, cultures and social groups.

For more information please see the British Dietetic Association website. 

Psychology

Clinical psychologists deal with a wide range of mental and physical health problems including addiction, anxiety, depression, learning difficulties and relationship issues, working with people to bring about change for the better . They may undertake a clinical assessment to investigate a clients’ situation. There are a variety of methods available including psychometric tests, interviews and direct observation of behaviour. Assessment may lead to advice, counselling or therapy.

Neuropsychology is a sub-speciality of Psychology and looks at the relationship between the brain and its neuropsychological function, dealing with topics such as vision, memory, smell, taste and the biological basis for conditions like depression. Psychologists within this field also help with the assessment and rehabilitation of people with brain injury or other neurological disease such as strokes, dementia, tumours and degenerative brain diseases.

For more information please see the British Psychological Societies website.   

Prosthetics

A prosthetist designs and creates prostheses which match, as closely as possible, a persons missing limb. This limb may be missing because of:

•  a birth defect
•  a loss of a limb in an accident or during military service
• amputation of a limb as a result of a condition such as diabetes

An important part of the work of a Prosthetist is to assess the patient and understand what they want and need their prosthesis to help them achieve. For example, some prostheses are designed for particular sports.

Once the prosthesis is made, they will fit it and then make adjustments as needed to ensure the patient’s comfort and best possible performance. They also spend time helping patients to get used to using a new prosthetic.

For more information please see the British Association of Prosthetists & Orthotists website.

Orthotics

Orthotists design and provide orthoses that modify the structural or functional characteristics of the patients' neuro-muscular and skeletal systems enabling patients to mobilise, eliminate gait deviations, reduce falls, reduce pain, prevent and facilitate healing of ulcers.

They treat patients with a wide range of conditions including diabetes, arthritis, cerebral palsy, stroke, spina bifida,scoliosis, musculskeletal conditions, sports injuries and trauma. Whilst they often work as autonomous practitioners they increasingly form part of a multidisciplinary team, such as within the neuro-rehabilitation team or the diabetic foot team.

For more information please see the British Association of Prosthetists & Orthotists website.