The Stroke Therapy team are based on wards 5C and 5D at Whiston Hospital and provide a therapy programme to enable patients to increase their independence.
Our ward based Therapy team includes Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapists and Therapy Assistants.
Physiotherapist (PT) Physiotherapists play an important part along the whole stroke pathway and aim to help you reach their full physical potential and functional ability to help independence.
Occupational Therapist (OT) Occupational Therapists are involved along the whole stroke pathway. They provide practical support to help recovery and overcome any barriers that prevent patients from doing activities that matter to them.
Therapy Assistants (TA) Our team of Therapy Assistants work closely with the Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists and help with the Therapy Treatment plan.
On the stroke unit, the Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist will complete various assessments such as:
- Physical assessment:
- Cognitive assessment:
- Functional assessments such as washing and dressing, kitchen tasks and going up/down stairs
- Assessment of the patient’s home to see if there is need for any equipment following discharge.
From the initial assessments the Therapists will work together with our patients to set rehabilitation goals that are focused on the patient’s needs.
Therapy treatment sessions are delivered as either individual or group treatment sessions depending on individual needs and goals.
Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) Speech and Language Therapists assess and support people who may have difficulty with:
- Understanding spoken words
- Using the right words and sentences
- Speech
- Using voice
- Reading and/or spelling
The Speech and Language Therapist will assess the patient’s ability in areas of conversation using simple tasks and activities and will work closely with patients to determine problems eating, drinking and swallowing after Stroke. Swallowing problems can increase the risk of developing a chest infection or weight loss.
This information will be used to find out how the stroke has affected the brain.
Dietician - The ward has its own Dietitian who specialises caring for patients following a stroke.
- Meet the nutritional requirements to prevent or minimise the patients weight loss
- Provide advice on different textured food of fortification
- Calculate the patients nutrition and hydration needs and prescribe liquid nutrition (food through a tube) if the patient is unable to eat or drink
- Changing from other nutrition (such as food given through a tube) to oral diet
- Monitoring your weight, blood tests and how this effects managing diet
- Provides advice on Diabetes and diet management
- Refers to community teams and on-going nutritional monitoring
Clinical Psychology - Stroke can impact you in many ways. It can impact upon your emotional well-being, and also impact on behaviour and ability to control emotions. The psychological impact of Stroke will be different for each individual.
The Clinical Psychologist’s role is to support the patient and everyone involved in the care to manage the psychological and emotional impact of Stroke. The Clinical Psychology Service will support the patient whilst you are in hospital. It also supports patients and carers after discharge from hospital through the outpatient Clinical Psychology Service.
Orthoptist - The ward has its own dedicated Orthoptist and also delivers specialist stroke orthoptist clinics on 5D ward.
The Orthoptist is someone who specializes in eyes and eyesight. They will check the vision and eye movements. They will help to manage any visual symptoms that patients have following a stroke, such as:
- double vision
- reduced vision
- problems with eye movements
The Orthoptist will work with you to improve your symptoms whilst you are in hospital. If required, they will arrange for ongoing care after you go home. They can also refer you to community services that support people with visual disturbance if required. They will also advise about the effects of vision on driving.
If patients had eye problems prior to their stroke it is important that glasses or eye medications are brought into hospital where possible. This will enable your treatment can continue whilst in hospital.
Pharmacist - The ward Pharmacist will review all your medications and current condition. They may make suggestions to your change your medications depending on the patient’s needs.
Family - Patients and their family/ carer’s will be actively encouraged to participate in therapy. Members of the Multidisciplinary team will speak with family regarding the patient’s progress and on-going treatment plan.
St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals supports ‘John’s Campaign’. If a member of your family is your carer, we want your carer to have the right to care for you on our ward if they so wish. We understand that this may not be possible for all carers.
