About our service
Occupational Therapists work with service users, their families and/or carers, to help them identify and participate in meaningful daily activities, achieve a balanced routine and lead a fulfilled life.
Referrals
Referral criteria:
- Person being referred must 19 years of age or older (or referred within six weeks of their 19th birthday).
- Anyone with a diagnosed learning disability who needs specialist health support that cannot be met through mainstram services, even with the use of reasonable adjustments.
- Must be registered with a Birmingham GP.
- People moving into the Birmingham area who have a Birmingham residential postcode and an identfied Birmingham GP but unable to register with the GP until they have actually moved into their property (for example, a service user discharged from hospital or a complex case moving into the area and going through the transfer or handover of the care process). Confirmation will be required for services users eligible for Section 117 that the transferring Learning Disability Service have liaised with the local Intgrated Care Board (ICB).
What is the aim of the service?
The aim of the Occupational Therapy Service is to support people with a Learning Disability to take part in the daily activities (occupations) that are important to them, to promote participation, independence and quality of life.
What support is offered?
The Occupational Therapy Team provides a specialist service when the person’s activities of daily living are significantly impaired. For example:
- Reduction or loss of meaningful activities,
- Lack of motivation or skills to engage in daily activities,
- Environmental barriers affecting participation in usual activities.
Occupational Therapists can also support with:
- Promoting health and well-being through meaningful activities and developing a consistent routine,
- Skill development or maintaining an individual’s usual activities,
- Support to manage changes during different stages of life, for example moving on from college, moving home, and getting older,
- Working with families and carers to ensure the right support is being provided.
Referrals
Eligibility criteria:
- Aged 19 years and over (or within 6 weeks of their 19th birthday).
- Diagnosed learning disability and needs specialist health support that cannot be met through mainstream services even with the use of reasonable adjustments.
- Registered with a Birmingham GP.
- Moving into the Birmingham area with a Birmingham residential postcode and an identified Birmingham GP, but are unable to register with the GP until they have moved into their property (for example, a service user discharged from hospital or a complex case moving into the area and going through the transfer or handover of care process). Confirmation will be required for service users eligible for s117 that the transferring Learning Disability Service have had a conversation with the local Integrated Care Board (ICB).
A referral to the service can be made through a number of means including a patient’s GP, carer, or family member.
You can make a referral by calling the Learning Disability’s Single Point of Access:
- Phone: 0121 466 4980
- Email: BCHNT.ldreferrals@nhs.net.
This will require completion of a referral form that needs to be sent through.
What happens at an OT appointment?
An Occupational Therapist will get to know a service user and their family or carers, to find out about their daily routine, the roles and responsibilities a family, carers or service users have, interests and skills.
Service users may be seen at home, college, a day service or in the community.
Assessments will be carried out with service users, family/carers to enable goals to be set and achieve. This can include:
- Talking to the service users, family members or carers,
- Completing activities with service users,
- Observing service users and carers doing activities together,
- Looking at places where activities are held.