Occupational Therapy in Neurology and Neurosurgery

Acute In-patient Neurology and Neurosurgery Services

 Our service treats people with conditions, diseases and injuries of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and muscles. It is a specialist regional service based in the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, for people across South Wales.  

Neurological conditions include:

• Epilepsy
• Multiple Sclerosis
• GBS (Guillain-Barré syndrome)
• Hypoxic brain injuries
• Motor Neurone Disease
• Encephalitis and spinal stroke. 

Patients can also be admitted onto this ward for neurological investigations when diagnosis is unknown. 

Neurosurgery interventions are performed for

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Subdural Haematoma (Acute and Chronic)
• Spinal surgery
• Acquired Head Injuries
• Brain Tumours 

The Occupational Therapists within the service work in collaboration with a specialist team. Team members include Speech and Language therapists, Physiotherapists, Neuro Psychologists, Clinical nurse specialists and Specialist Traumatic Brain Injury practitioners.

Our role, as Occupational Therapists within Acute Neurology and Neurosurgery, is to: 

• Provide specialist neurological assessment and early rehabilitation.
• Help patients to regain their independence in daily activities which are important to them. 
• Assess and provide strategies to support cognitive impairments.
• Educate and give support to patients and those close to them.
• Assess what aids, home adaptations or skills are needed to safely discharge a patient to their own home or to a specialist rehabilitation service.
• Refer patients to useful community services following discharge.

We also work closely with Neuro and Spinal Rehabilitation Services, the Critical Care team, the Major Trauma Network and specialist community services.