OT department gets assistive tech upgrade thanks to generous funding
The Occupational Therapy (OT) department at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been upgraded with support and funding from the charity League of Friends.
The charity, which is based at The RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, has funded equipment, including a variety of assistive technologies, for the OT department’s workshop and rehabilitation flat.
Diane Pym, Occupational Therapy Assistant at The RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the League of Friends for supporting the Occupation Therapy department.
“Both the flat and workshop play an essential role in a patient’s rehabilitation journey – these important upgrades allow us to harness the best possible environment to nurture patients pre-discharge.”
The rehabilitation flat has recently been refurbished with a new kitchen, bathroom, and painting throughout. Additional assistive technologies were required, the hospital states, to enable patients to begin using the flat again for overnight stays.
The charity supported by purchasing a two-seater fixed sofa, lift and rise chair, dual care plus profiling bed, memory foam mattress with a zipped waterproof cover, and a hoist.
For many patients, it is often the first ‘home’ environment they will experience away from the ward, having been in hospital for long periods of time. It enables them to test out care in a safe environment prior to going home, better preparing them for discharge, according to The RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital.
Additionally, the workshop is a valuable resource for patients undergoing rehabilitation as an inpatient at RJAH and has a role with outpatient rehabilitation after a life-changing injury. It offers a different environment for those interested in developing a skill that can be maintained at home post-discharge.
The charity funded an array of tools for use within the workshop; this includes power tools, wood saws, drills kits, claw hammers, vacuum cleaners, and a shed for storage.
Victoria Sugden, Charity Director at League of Friends, added: “We are always pleased to support in ways that have a direct impact on patient care and for patients who have suffered a life changing injury we’re delighted to see such a positive impact on their rehabilitation.”
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