We are a multi-disciplinary team of therapists with specialist expertise in brain, spinal cord, and traumatic injuries. Our service sees patients on wards 6b and 25a.
Our aim is to provide early, specialist assessment and rehabilitation for patients with complex needs in the acute phase of their hospital journey.
The team will work closely together to coordinate your care and establish your ongoing needs. This may include directing you to other organisations or supporting with referrals to inpatient units or community teams.
Our team includes:
You may not need to be seen by all of these professionals. The therapists you see will depend on how your injury has affected you.
It many be useful to write down your therapy team's names. Please note you may be seen by more than one therapist from each profession.
We support people to maximise their independence and return to enjoyment of meaningful activities. We provide specialist assessment and therapy for people who have:
We provide specialist assessment and therapy for people who have:
We provide specialist assessment and therapy for people who have:
We assess and manage patients’ hyper-acute rehab needs following severe injury, which can often be complex and disabling.
Following a biopsychosocial model of healthcare, we consider the person’s medical and rehabilitation needs in the context of their life and circumstances. Our focus aims to be holistic, recognising the importance of the ‘whole person’.
We work with the team of therapists to help identify and assess ongoing rehabilitation needs and we liaise with appropriate onward rehabilitation services to facilitate a supportive discharge from the acute hospital setting.
Part of the role of your therapy team is to help establish your onward rehabilitation needs. The options available to you will depend on factors such as where you live and the type of rehabilitation you require.
Some people can go directly home from Southmead Hospital. This may be with the support of family/friends and/or community therapy teams.
Other people may require a further period of assessment and/ or rehabilitation at an in-patient facility. The type of unit will depend on your injury and recovery so far.
You or your relative will likely have many questions about the next steps following the acute phase of your hospital stay. Your therapy team will be happy to discuss their recommendations and the options available to you.
Southmead Hospital is the specialist centre for the South West for people with neurosurgical and major trauma injuries. The repatriation (returning) of patients to their local hospital enables Southmead to use their resources to provide lifesaving interventions to other patients newly admitted.
Repatriation may also make it easier for your friends and family to visit you and can allow for a more coordinated approach as you near the point of discharge or transfer to local services.
You can expect to receive your initial therapy assessment within the within the first few days of being admitted to the ward.
Due to fluctuating demands on the therapy teams, we cannot guarantee the frequency of your sessions. How often you are seen may also change over the course of your admission, however we will strive to provide as much rehabilitation as is required.
Due to the nature of the acute hospital setting, your therapy sessions are not timetabled. We can aim to accommodate preferences for approximate timings of sessions where possible
Not necessarily. How an injury affects someone can differ between people. You will be assessed and seen by the therapy disciplines identified based on your particular set of needs.
Not officially, but as your areas of focus for therapy become clearer, there may be one particular therapist who becomes your main point of contact.
Acute hospitals often rely on the movement of patients to different wards or areas to accommodate new patient admissions. There is therefore a possibility that you may not remain on your original ward for your whole stay. In this case, your team of therapists will provide a verbal and/or written handover of the input you have received to your new team of therapists, who will continue to work with you.
Southmead Hospital has access to an interpreting service. This can be helpful to support patients and families where English is not their first language. An interpreter can be helpful in helping you understand you or your relative’s current medical and rehab plan. Please speak with your Nurse or Therapist if you wish to use this service.
We are keen to know which parts of our service are working well for patients and what areas need improvement. To give us feedback please visit: Survey (ratemynhs.co.uk)
© North Bristol NHS Trust. This edition published June 2024. Review due June 2027. NBT003619.
Hyper Acute Rehabilitation Team
Major Trauma Office
Gate 18, Level 1
Southmead Hospital
Westbury-on-trym
Bristol
BS10 5NB
0117 414 0266
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm