Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists help you get back to participating in meaningful daily activities. They focus on restoring normal function or providing alternative solutions to help you complete:

  • activities of daily living and personal care (grooming, showering etc.)
  • paediatric developmental activities (making sure your child is meeting milestones)
  • instrumental activities of daily living and household duties (budgeting, cooking, shopping etc.)
  • work or study
  • recreation or leisure activities.

Our services

We aim to promote health, wellbeing and functional independence through inpatient therapy, planning for a safe discharge and follow up outpatient therapy as needed.

We may provide one or more of the following:

  • functional assessment of your current ability and support to help you learn how best to manage at home on discharge
  • home environment assessment and recommendations to make life easier (e.g. hand rails, ramps, equipment)
  • recommendation and advice on the use of assistive devices (e.g. long-handled dressing sticks) and equipment
  • community access retraining (such as a visit to a local shop)
  • cognitive assessment and retraining (e.g. how a person learns, understands, remembers, makes decisions )
  • visual/perceptual assessment and therapy (e.g. how a person makes sense of their environment)
  • falls education and advice
  • pressure injury management and prevention advice
  • upper limb and hand therapy (inpatient and outpatient)
  • splint prescription—static and dynamic (inpatient and outpatient)
  • scar management (inpatient and outpatient)
  • oedema (swelling) management including vascular conditions and compression therapy (inpatient and outpatient)
  • education in areas such as relaxation, energy conservation, stress management, work simplification and fatigue management (inpatient and outpatient)
  • developmental assessment and interventions (paediatrics)
  • toileting support services (paediatrics).

We also offer recreational therapy services to selected inpatients to help pass the time and keep you motivated and engaged in your care, which include:

  • individual programmes
  • group programmes—e.g. reminiscence, communication, games, current affairs.

How to access this service

A referral is required for all patients. The eligibility criteria differs depending on the service, with some clinics only accepting internal referrals. For clinics accepting external referrals, a GP or medical practitioner will need to send a referral letter to the hospital. Please note that all outpatient services have waiting lists and no drop-in clinics are available. We do not see patients referred under Work Cover, Third Party and/or DVA.

What to bring

Each time you visit us
  • Your Medicare card
  • Private health insurance card (if you have one)
  • Health Care Card and/or concession card (if you have one)
  • Current medications (prescription, over the counter and herbal medicine)
  • Relevant x-rays, scans or any other test results or reports
  • Glasses, hearing and mobility aids
  • Snacks, a drink or money to buy refreshments
  • Something to read or do while you wait

Please leave time to find a park before your appointment.

Clinics

Contact us

Occupational Therapy Department
Location: Ground floor, Main Building, Redcliffe Hospital
Phone: (07) 3883 7776
Email:
Open: Monday-Friday, 8.00am-4.30pm

Need help outside hours?

For non-urgent medical issues call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or visit your GP.

In an emergency call 000.