Service Occupational Therapy Service

Service overview

Occupational therapy provides rehabilitation support to help you recover from illness or a condition. and live the life you want at home, at work, and everywhere else. 

Our Occupational Therapists, also known as OTs, work across many different clinical and care areas. Each service will provide unique support suited to your needs as a patient. 

Occupational Therapy is a science based profession. Our OTs use research and practical evidence to help guide people to achieve what they aim to as part of their care plan.

We work with adults and children of all ages who have a wide range of conditions.

Accessing our service

Occupational Therapist's work closely with different health and social care professionals to support your wellness journey.

Your care professional may recommend OT support as part of your treatment.

Speak to them directly or your GP if you feel you need support from an OT.

Preparing for an assessment

We will first assess what you find OK to do, and what you're finding difficult.

We'll look at how different factors affect your ability to manage in everyday life, including:

  • physical, by seeing how you do everyday tasks 
  • mental and thinking (cognitive), by completing questionnaires
  • sensory
  • emotional, by talking with you about your day-to-day life
  • your environment
  • reviewing healthcare records and speaking with those who know you

This may include areas of self-care, work, education, leisure, or social participation.

This will help our OT understand your situation, and work with you to set realistic goals and interventions to suit your needs.

You can learn more by visiting the RCOT (Royal College of Occupational Therapists) website.

Returning Equipment

You can return equipment which may have been provided by an Occupational Therapist, to our Berkshire Community equipment service.

Please check for an NRS or Millbrook barcode sticker on the equipment, and contact our team.

Berkshire Community Equipment Service

Contact number: 0118 228 8701

Contact us and FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Will an Occupational Therapist provide me with some equipment?

Depending on your assessment, equipment may be provided to help you with your day-to-day tasks. 

However not all of our Occupational Therapists will provide equipment as part of their service, so please discuss this with your clinician.

Will my therapy team reassess me if my needs have changed?

If you need a reassessment for equipment, please contact your local authority Occupational Therapy service.

If you have other needs that require assessment, please discuss with your GP who can refer you to an appropriate service.

We can also help you with

Is there any information for friends, family and carers?

If you’re a family member, carer, or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available from a range of local communities and national organisations.  

How do I request an interpreter?

We can provide language translation and interpretation support.

Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.

We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:

  • Telephone interpreting
  • Video remote interpreting (VRI)
  • Face‑to‑face interpreting
  • Written translation
  • British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?

Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to get information in a format that meets their needs.

The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers. This means making sure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand our information and communicate with us easily.

We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:

  • British Sign Language (BSL)
  • Large print
  • Braille
  • Audio
  • Easy read
  • Email
  • Text message
  • Face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present

If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.

Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?

Yes, you are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.

These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.

To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.

Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.

What does it mean to treat our team with respect?

Respect is important.

We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.

Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.

We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.

This may include contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.

How do I find my NHS number?

The easiest way to find your NHS number is using the official NHS online service which can be accessed below.

You may also want to read our guidance page for more information about other ways to find your NHS number or what to do if you cannot find yours.

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