About occupational therapy
What is occupational therapy?
'Occupational therapy helps people live more productive lives.
It enables people with disabilities to carry out essential
activities, with the aim of maintaining or improving
independence.'
It is a profession that focuses on a person's abilities and any
difficulties they may have. Occupational therapists can work in a
wide variety of settings. These include hospitals, hospices,
rehabilitation centres, mental health units and with people in
their own homes.
Our occupational therapy staff aim to help you make the most of
your abilities and reduce your need for help from others.
We will work with you to find ways to resolve any difficulties.
This might include providing advice or equipment, or recommending
adaptations to your home.
We also support families or friends who act as carers for
someone with an impairment, and can offer help on how they may
best cope with any problems.
Facts and figures
- There are 86 full-time OTs working across services for
adults and children in West Sussex.
- The county council, with our NHS West Sussex partners,
spends £5m+ on our Community Equipment Service every year,
enabling people to do every day activities.
- Child disability occupational therapists work with children
with a wide range of complex physical disabilities up until the age
of 19.
- Occupational therapists working with adults deal with
approximately 42% of all the referrals that come in.
- OT Connect, the first point of contact for adults,
receives in the region of 16,000 new contacts each year? Of these,
roughly 33% of people require full home assessments, 50% need
advice and information only, and 17% need equipment.