What is an occupational therapist?
In general occupational therapists help you find ways to do activities that are important to you, but that you find difficult because of an illness, impairment or disability. This could be something as simple as making a cup of tea, or something more serious like helping you get back to work.
Our occupational therapists specialise in teaching self-help strategies for anyone living with chronic pain or fatigue.
Occupational therapists are registered healthcare professionals and are accountable to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
What should I expect when I come to the occupational therapist?
Your first appointment with the occupational therapist will be to decide if the therapy is right
for you, and if you’d like to go forward with it. Appointments are approximately 40 minutes
and be face-to-face, online or over the phone.
What will the sessions include?
You’ll be taught self-help strategies to try at home, and then you’ll discuss them at the next appointment. Here are some examples of the types of techniques we can use:
- Learning to balance activities throughout the week.
- Learning to set relevant and achievable goals.
- Understanding activity analysis and how it can help you engage in a range of activities.
- Understanding the therapeutic value of restful activities.
- Learning to cope with setbacks.
Your appointment
If you can’t attend your appointment, please let us know at least 48 hours beforehand so we can offer to someone else. If you don’t attend your appointment without telling us, we’ll refer you back to your GP.
After your treatment, we’ll refer you back to your GP.
Professional education and training
The RLHIM is also a teaching hospital and from time to time other healthcare professionals may observe in outpatient clinics as part of a training course. We’ll always ask your permission for students to sit in during your consultation. You don’t to have students present if you’d prefer not to.
How to contact us
Patient Services
The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
60 Great Ormond Street
London
WC1N 3HR
Tel: 020 3448 2000
Fax: 020 3448 2004
Switchboard: 020 3456 7890
Email: uclh.enquiry.rlhim.patients@nhs.net (not for referrals)
Website: www.uclh.nhs.uk/rlhim
How to be referred
The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine (RLHIM) is part of University College London Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust. You’ll will be referred into the Occupational Therapy Service by your doctor here at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine if they feel it would be helpful as part of your overall care.
We don’t accept external referrals for occupational therapy. If you need a large print, audio, braille, easy read, age-friendly or translated copy of this document, please contact us on 0203 448 2000. We will try our best to meet your needs.
NHS Choices provides information and an opportunity to provide feedback about our service: www.nhs.uk