Occupational therapy
What we do
Our role in prehabilitation is to help you to cope with cancer
treatment and to feel better physical and mentally.
We can provide advice and practical strategies to support you to
manage your:
- energy levels / fatigue during and after
treatment
- issues related to work (including reasonable
adjustments or phased return to work if required)
- stress, anxiety or low mood
- sleep
- communication with friends, family and
colleagues
We can also provide adaptive equipment and liaise with community
services to arrange a home assessment.
How do OT appointments take place?
Appointments can take place over the phone, virtually by video
call or in person. At RUH we can see people in person in the
Brownsword Therapies Centre or can visit you on the chemotherapy
suite in A12 when you attend for chemotherapy. Please let us know
what you would prefer.
How many OT appointments would I have?
During your initial appointment we will agree whether one or more
follow up appointments would be useful. We can arrange these to
suit you. The number of follow up appointments is not limited and
you can self-refer back to the Therapies Oncology Team at the RUH
at any point, including after you have completed treatment.
Can you arrange adaptations and equipment for my
home?
We can arrange for delivery of some pieces of equipment e.g.
commodes, toilet frames and equipment to raise up chairs and beds.
We are not able to visit you at home, so if a home visit is needed
- e.g. to work out where to fit grab rails, we can make a referral
to your community therapy team.
Useful information
Is fatigue limiting your daily activities?
Y/N
If yes, please see the following links for further
information:-
Do you struggle to get to sleep/stay asleep?
Y/N
If yes, please see the following links for further
information:-
Frome Medical Practice have produced some resources on this
page Sleep
Resources - JoinedUpHealth which may be helpful:-
Do you have worrying thoughts that you cannot control?
Y/N
If yes, please see the following links for further
information:-
Penny Brohn has also set up a partnership with Headspace, the
mindfulness app. See this link for details of how you can access it
free of charge:
https://www.pennybrohn.org.uk/news/partnership-with-headspace-meditation-app/
Other links that may be useful
Contact Us
If you would like to discuss anything further or would like to
arrange one-to-one support to draw up an individual plan to manage
sleep, fatigue or anxiety, please contact us via the numbers
below:
For University Hospitals Bristol and Weston patients,
please contact:
Vicky Archard (Occupational Therapist) BRI Therapies Surgery
Team
Email: Victoria.nickless@UHBW.nhs.uk
Tel: 0117 342 7348
Lucy Dormer (Occupational Therapist) BRI Therapies Oncology
Team
Email: Lucy.Dormer@UHBW.nhs.uk
Tel: 0117 342 3272
For Royal United Hospitals Bath patients, please
contact:
Kirsty Hastie (Occupational Therapist) RUH Therapies Oncology
Team
Email: ruh-tr.cancerrehab@nhs.net
Tel: 01225 821 241
David White (Occupational Therapist) Macmillan Cancer
Information & Support Centre
Email: ruh-tr.cancersupport@nhs.net
Tel: 01225 824049
