What is this service?

The community therapy team provides occupational therapy and physiotherapy at a person’s place of residence or in a community setting. This could include a day centre, sports centre or place of employment. The team is made up of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and therapy assistants.

What does this service offer?

We enable patients to rehabilitate and find self-management strategies in order to overcome the physical, psychological and social problems caused by ill health.

We do this by helping patients (and their carers) to adapt their technique, carry out exercise programmes, use adaptive equipment and learn more about their condition.

We also offer:

• rehabilitation programmes for people that have broken a bone (this includes people that have had joint replacement surgery such as a hip replacement) and people who have been in hospital and suffered deterioration in their walking or function.
• management of long term conditions such as arthritis.
• advice to carers on subjects such as moving and handling.
• advice on pressure care involving seating or postural management

Who is the service for?

This service is for adults over the age of 18 and who are registered with a Bristol GP. This predominantly means people who require assistance in managing the effect of their long term conditions, but can extend to any adult who would be unable to attend an outpatient appointment for health reasons. For example:

• people who are having difficulty walking.
• people who are having difficulty completing their activities of daily living, such as washing and dressing.
• patients who have had a fall and require a multi-factorial assessment and intervention. Please refer to the falls in older people page for more information on services for those who fall or read more about our strength and balance exercise programmes here.

How can I access this service?

You must be referred into this service by a health or social care professional. Referral forms are available to download from the left hand side of this page.

Are you a clinician that wants to refer to this service?

If you are a clinician or GP and wish to refer to this service, please see referral forms.