Who will care for you?
Our Multi-Disciplinary Team is a group of staff that includes many different professions, for example, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists etc. They work closely together, sharing information to help provide the best care to each individual during their stay.
All the staff aim to support the individual and their family and friends throughout the rehabilitation process, giving advice and information. Some people may need to see most or all of the team, while others will only need to see a few.
Where appropriate, families will have regular meetings with the team at scheduled review meetings. However, families can ask individual staff members specific questions at any time.
Which professions make up the Osborn 4 multi-disciplinary team?
Doctors
All patients are admitted under the care of a Rehabilitation Medicine Consultant. They have overall responsibility for patients and they coordinate and guide treatment by all staff. Medical staff conduct rounds twice per week with nurses and therapists and will arrange investigations and treatments. They will also carry out procedures such as localised injections to joints and spasticity management which includes full assessments, injection techniques and linking to other treatment modalities using specialised rehabilitation staff within the department.
Goals of rehabilitation are set by the Consultant led MDT and discharge planning is started immediately on admission to facilitate smooth transition into community rehabilitation.
Medical staff lead the family review meetings held regularly for relatives and patients to discuss progress, treatment and discharge.
Nursing
The nursing staff provides expert care 24 hours a day and therefore have the most important role in rehabilitating individuals. The input that we provide is based on the person’s needs and we encourage independence and self-help as much as possible. Nurses are central to the individual’s time on the ward and provide advice and support to them and their family. We are the glue that pulls together all the elements of rehabilitation from the rest of the team. Nursing staff are responsible for seeing referrals from other units and feeding back to the team.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational Therapists aim to help individuals maintain or improve their ability and independence in daily activities. In OT sessions we may:
- Practice and assist with daily activities such as washing and dressing and kitchen tasks. This may involve exploring alternative ways of doing activities, for instance through providing aids for dressing or memory.
- Look at cognition (ways of thinking) by assessing memory, problem solving, planning and organising.
- Arrange a home visit to assess what support, equipment and/or home adaptations may be required.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists aim to help people to achieve individual goals for movement and mobility. In physiotherapy sessions we may:
- Assess and advise on positioning and wheelchairs.
- Treat to improve movement, strength, balance, co-ordination and mobility.
- Advise family, individuals and the team on how to assist people to move.
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)
Speech and Language Therapists work with individuals who have difficulties with communicating (speaking clearly; understanding or using language; interacting with
other people) or in eating and drinking safely.
The Speech and Language therapist may offer one or more of the following approaches:
- Direct therapy, or a programme of exercises (for example, language exercises
- Advice to the individual and their family
- Developing new ways of communication (for example, using a picture chart).
Art and Music Therapy
Art Therapy and Music Therapy sessions offer a place where individuals can explore some of the emotional effects of the illness they have suffered.
Everyone is offered either art or music therapy. They do not need to be good at either to be able to benefit.
Music Therapy uses improvised music as a means of sharing the person’s feelings and experiences.
Art Therapy uses art materials to create artwork such as an image, a model, colours or textures as a way to express thoughts and feelings. In these sessions individuals may choose to use Art or Music materials or may instead choose to talk about current difficulties, worries or anxieties.
Clinical Neuropsychology
Clinical Neuropsychologists specialise in detailed assessment of brain function and behaviour after injury. We utilise a large number of detailed tests which measure different areas of brain function in order to form a picture of the deficits caused after injury.
From this detailed picture, appropriate treatment strategies can be devised.
Social Work
Social workers work with Sheffield clients directly. Out-of-city clients will be referred to their local social services department.
Social workers:
- Work as part of the team to support individuals and families through the rehabilitation process.
- Can give some benefits advice, support clients with forms and find out information but are not welfare rights experts.
- Are involved with discharge planning – organising funding for care packages or nursing homes and setting up care as necessary.
