Occupational Therapy
The ED department does not have its own Occupational Therapy service on site at present. It uses the hospital Occupational Therapy service when required.
A proposal has been submitted to address this deficiency in service which will if accepted provide a dedicated Occupational Therapist in the ED on a part time basis.
The proposal that has been put together by the Occupational Therapy Department will obviously enhance the services provided by the Emergency Department. It provides for a pilot project that will last for six months after which it is hoped to gather sufficient evidence that it is a viable option to provide dedicated Occupational Therapy Services in the Emergency department.
Literature would suggest that patients have a wide variety of problems after discharge which include limited ability to carry out personal activities of daily living, housekeeping, decreased mobility, difficulty following prescriptions and difficulty using appliances (Mamon et al 1992, Tierney at al 1998)
Occupational Therapy has been proven to generate efficiencies in the health service by supporting early discharges and improving throughput, preventing re-admission, and in some cases preventing admission to hospital (Brandis, 1998).
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