What is an Occupational Therapist?
The occupational therapists in Suffolk are trained to work with
people with a wide range of disabilities. All our occupational
therapists are fully qualified and registered with the Health
Professions Council. They are skilled in identifying the physical,
psychological and social needs of people. They aim to enable people
to make the most of their abilities and remain as independent as
possible in their own homes.
How to contact us
The initial contact should be to made to
Customer First.
Following an assessment, you may need the specialist assistance of
an occupational therapist. Then the referral will be passed on to
the local team.
Eligibility and time scales
Demand for these services is always high and we are not able to
see people as quickly as we would like. To ensure we provide a fair
service targeted at those in greatest need, we use
eligibility criteria to
decide who is eligible for a service and their priority.
Urgent situations will be given an immediate response and
'Critical High Risk' situations will be given priority. Other
referrals will be dealt with as soon as possible, but due to the
level of demand, there maybe a considerable wait for an
assessment.
You may wish to contact one of the Disability Resource Centres
listed below for further information and advice about possible
alternative solutions not requiring a therapist to visit you at
home:
Disability Resource Centres
Assessments
If you are eligible for a service, you will be offered an
assessment. The person assessing your needs will discuss your
difficulties over the telephone and may visit your home. They will
suggest ways of minimising these difficulties and can give advice
on available assistance. They may also suggest equipment that will
help you or recommend adaptations to your home.
With your agreement, they may refer you to another social care
worker for further assessment for other services, such as home
care or residential care. Alternatively, they may suggest referral
to another agency, for example - the health authority,
physiotherapy or Age Concern.
Advice and information
Following assessment, we may be able to give advice on different
and easier ways of doing things both for you and your carer or to
give you information on other local or national organisations who
maybe able to help.
Links to useful organisations and specialist suppliers of equipment
designed for independent living can be found on
InfoLink.
Please note: Inclusion on this database is not a
recommendation by Suffolk County Council of the companies listed or
the equipment they sell.
The Disabled Living Foundation is a national charity that offers
impartial advice about purchasing equipment:
www.bathingmadeeasy.com
These leaflets offer further advice: