The multidisciplinary rehabilitation team. Who are they and what do they do?
Medical Team
- Medical History
- Neurological examination
- Blood tests
- Referral for CT or MRI scans
- Medication: aspirin, anticoagulants, statins, thrombolysis
- Detection and treatment of complications: infections, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), epileptic seizures
- Monitoring and reducing the risk of further stroke: secondary prevention
- Communication with other hospitals, departments and with General Practitioner (GP) and primary care team
Nursing Team
- General observations, alertness, effects of stroke
- Monitoring blood pressure, temperature, pulse, breathing, oxygen levels in the blood, weight
- Swallowing assessment
- Nutrition and hydration- eating and drinking
- Mouth care keeping the mouth moist and clear of food, clean teeth
- Help with feeding if needed
- Safe/therapeutic positioning in bed or chair
- Help to sit up in bed or chair, help with walking if safe to do so
- Skin care preventing pressure sores
- Help to maintain continence and going to toilet, manage catheters
- Discharge planning, liaison with primary care nurses and General Practitioner (GP)
- Liaison with carers and relatives
Physiotherapy Team
- Assessment and treatment of muscle tone, strength and movement
- Body positioning, posture and awareness
- Balance in sitting, standing and walking
- Assessment of sensation
- Assessment and treatment of pain in arms and legs
- Care of the affected arm and leg to prevent deformity or further damage
- Provide walking aids and equipment
- Specific treatments FES (functional electrical stimulation), TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
- Exercise and activity to do at home
- Referral for community physiotherapy
- Referral to Orthotist for special adapted items such as shoe raise, ankle /foot orthosis
- Discharge planning
Occupational Therapy Team
- Assessment and treatment of activities of daily living, washing, dressing, bathing, feeding, toileting
- Assessment and treatment of memory, cognition and thinking problems
- Assessment of perceptual problems, planning and sequencing
- Dexterity and hand activities
- Kitchen activities
- Scanning and visual retraining
- Home visits
- Assessment and referral for equipment and adaptations at home.
- Work related activity
- Discharge planning
Speech and Language Therapy Team
- Assessment of swallowing including arranging x ray of swallow (videofluoroscopy) if required
- Assessment and treatment of speech problems
- Assessment and treatment of language problems
- Assisting carers and relatives to learn communication strategies
- Assessment and referral for equipment to aid communication
- Referral for community speech and language therapy if required
Clinical Psychology Team
- Assessment and treatment of intellectual/cognitive and behavioural problems
- Advice on personal and emotional issues
- Therapy to manage change, tackle mood changes and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety
- Coping strategies to manage daily tasks and stress
- Advice to stroke team and carers for management of emotional and cognitive problems
Dietetics Team
- Advice for special diets, diabetics, weight loss, weight gain, low sodium, coeliacs
- Advice for patients who require supplement or build up drinks
- Monitoring patients on alternative feeding such as PEG (feeding tube into stomach through abdomen) or Nasogastric feeds (feeding tube into stomach through nose)
- Advice on consistency of food and drinks for swallowing problems
Social Work Team
- Advice and information on social or care issues
- Care needs assessments to meet the needs of the person at home
- Advice on benefits, financial assessments
- Advice on alternative care, alternative housing, supported accommodation, sheltered housing, care homes
- Advice on private home care providers
- Advice on carers needs assessment to meet the needs of carers at home
- Advocacy for patients without next of kin
- Referral for social work day care
Pharmacy Team
- Advice and dispensing medicine
- Alternative medicines in liquid form for patients with swallowing difficulties.
- Supply of dispensing packs such as Dosette boxes
- Alternative caps for medicine bottles, large print labels
- Checking controlled drugs (which can only be given following strict guidelines)
- Checking and dispensing discharge prescriptions
Page last reviewed: 30 Mar 2021
