Occupational Therapy: Medical and Surgical

Occupational Therapists provide assessment, intervention & rehabilitation to assist patients to return to everyday activities independently and safely.

The Medical and Surgical Occupational Therapy team are part of the Occupational Therapy department.

Occupational Therapists work on the Medicine & Surgery wards at Sunderland Royal Hospital. Nursing staff may refer patients to the Occupational Therapy service during their stay and an Occupational Therapist will visit you on the ward to gather information about how patients managed before they came into hospital and to ask patients about any concerns before they return home.

Occupational Therapists wear green trousers and white tunics.

The Occupational Therapy Department is located in Entrance 8 Rehabilitation at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

The nearest car parks are outside the Surgical Day Case Unit and the main Outpatients car park off Chester Road.

The Occupational Therapy Department provides a seven day service between 08:00 to 16:30 each day.

Occupational Therapy 0191 5656256 extension 42412

Divisional General Manager Jackie Butterworth

Directorate Manager Mandy Bates

Clinical Director Mary Spearman

Clinical Manager Jill Graham

Medicine & Surgery Lead Specialist/Team leader Andrea Gibson

Occupational Therapists with expert knowledge in Medicine & Surgery oversee the care of all patients, with input from support staff.

Patients may attend the Occupational Therapy Department where they are able to practice every day tasks for example getting on and off the bed, in and out the bath and tasks in the kitchen. If patient’s are struggling with these tasks, the Occupational Therapist will show the patient equipment that may help them after they are discharged home. Further recommendations may be made for patients, such as practices of tasks to improve mobility and transfers (getting on and off beds, toilets and in and out of the bath) or how people will manage at home in the kitchen after they are discharged. Occupational Therapists make recommendations for carer support, or if patients require further rehabilitation. This may be provided in the patient’s home from community teams or in a local bed based rehabilitation facility.

For some patients a visit to their own home may be carried out from the ward, to see how patients manage in their own environment.

Therapists work very closely with other professions to ensure that patients are safely discharged from hospital with the correct levels of care.