Inpatient services

The Medical Physiotherapy team aims to help with issues around movement and mobility that may occur as a result of someone being unwell. This could involve assessments of your ability to walk, balance, overall strength or just your ability to carry out day to day tasks, such as getting out of bed or up from a chair. We can also identify people who are at risk of falling and provide help, advice and support – including exercises, to help reduce this risk. Walking aids such as sticks or frames may be provided to help improve safety, but the team won’t be able to issue more specialist equipment, like wheelchairs or 4 wheeled walkers.

To help us provide effective therapy, we always ask that well-fitting footwear is available from point of admission and request that patients bring their walking aid in to hospital with them where possible. In the circumstances where someone is unable to tell their therapist about their normal abilities, we’d ask that a friend or relative provides an accurate history - for example whether they can usually walk using an aid, or how far they can walk.

Critical Care Physiotherapists work within the wider team to provide specialist care for very unwell patients. This may involve helping clear chest secretions, weaning from oxygen or a ventilator (breathing machine), keeping joints moving and muscles strong while patients are not mobile, with the aim of achieving the best possible function following critical illness. We will also help patients who have had surgery to prevent post-operative complications like chest infections or blood clots, and to support the return to normal mobility.

To provide effective therapy, we may ask family members or loved ones to provide us with information about a patients’ usual abilities, their likes and dislikes (e.g. preferred name, normal routines, the type of music they enjoy) in order to ensure their Critical Care stay with us is as comfortable and personal as possible. We may also give family members advice on activities that they can support the patient with while visiting to aid recovery.

More information about the care offered within either an Intensive Care Unit Or High-Dependency Unit can be found using the below resources:

• NHS UK website
• ICUsteps
• Intensive Care Society
• HealthTalk
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

The Elderly Care Physiotherapy team aims to address any issues with movement and mobility that may occur as a result of an older person being unwell, taking in to account more specialist needs like multiple pre-existing medical problems. This could involve assessments of a someone’s ability to walk, their balance, overall strength and ability to carry out day to day tasks, such as getting out of bed or up from a chair. We can also identify people who are at risk of falling and provide help, advice and support – including exercises, to help reduce this risk. Walking aids such as sticks or frames may be provided to help improve safety, but the team won’t be able to issue more specialist equipment, like wheelchairs or 4 wheeled walkers. The Elderly Care team works closely with other professionals, such as Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and other care agencies to ensure safe discharge from hospital.

To help us provide effective therapy, we always ask that well-fitting footwear is available from point of admission and request that patients bring their walking aid in to hospital with them where possible. In the circumstances where someone is unable to tell their therapist about their normal abilities, we’d ask that a friend or relative provides an accurate history - for example whether they can usually walk using an aid, or how far they can walk.

The Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Team treat patients as part of the Elective Orthopaedic, Trauma Orthopaedic and Day-Surgery teams. Patients on these wards may have sustained trauma or injury to their bones, muscles or other joint structures. These injuries may have required surgery to correct, or may be treated conservatively (without surgery). We also treat patients who have had elective (planned) surgery, such as joint replacements, ligament reconstruction or arthroscopy. Our aim is to ensure patients can safely mobilise and complete specific movements and exercises prior to being discharged safely home. Patients may need further rehabilitation following their inpatient stay with us, which will be arranged by our team.

Respiratory Physiotherapists can help people experiencing difficulties with their breathing - whether this is a chronic (long-term) problem such as COPD, or a new (acute) problem such as a chest infection or pneumonia. This can be through helping clear the airways of secretions, correcting any areas of lung collapse and teaching techniques to relax the breathing pattern. The physiotherapy team will also help patients to get mobile after a period of illness, and prepare for discharge from hospital. They can also help with management plans for those people with chronic problems by providing help, advice and exercises to support them at home to help prevent further hospital admissions.

To help the team, please bring in your British Lung Foundation - COPD Self-Management Plan (if you have one), as this can help to ensure you receive the right inhalers and medications straight away. The physiotherapist may also add in exercises that they feel you will benefit from.

To help us provide effective therapy, we always ask that well-fitting footwear is available from point of admission and request that patients bring their walking aid in to hospital with them where possible. In the circumstances where someone is unable to tell their therapist about their normal abilities, we’d ask that a friend or relative provides an accurate history - for example whether they can usually walk using an aid, or how far they can walk.

Our Physiotherapy Service forms part of the Stroke Rehabilitation Team, working alongside Occupational Therapist, Doctors, Nurses and Social Workers. The Stroke team will set therapy goals, taking into consideration the severity of the stroke, your previous abilities and your priorities. Your Physiotherapist will work with you and your family, loved ones or carers, to support your recovery, in a coordinated way to help you do as much as you can independently.

Patients are usually admitted or transferred to the Hyper-Acute Stroke Unit at the University Hospital of North Durham, where they will receive specialist multidisciplinary input and any scans or investigations that are required can be carried out. Some patients who require further inpatient rehabilitation will be supported by the team within our Stroke Rehab Unit at Bishop Auckland Hospital.

Depending on the severity of the stroke, some patients are able to return home, directly from the acute hospital setting, with or without additional support. If required, you will be referred to one of our specialist community rehabilitation teams to support your rehabilitation and recovery at home.

To help the team provide effective therapy we ask that well-fitting footwear is available from point of admission and if possible that patients bring their usual walking aid (if they have one) in to hospital with them.  We would encourage patients to wear their own clothing as soon as is possible, to support with rehabilitation.

More information can be found using the below resources:

• Stroke UK
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

The Surgical Physiotherapy team help patients who have undergone several types of surgery. This may be colorectal surgery (bowel), abdominal, gynaecological (womb/ovaries) or mastectomy (breast removal). Surgery may be planned (elective) or emergency. Not everyone who has an operation will need to see a Physiotherapist - if you have had laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery physiotherapy input is not usually needed. For larger surgeries when the abdomen has been opened, a Physiotherapist will be involved straight away following the operation. We will provide teaching on breathing techniques to ensure that the lungs are filling correctly and supported cough techniques. This is to reduce the risk of developing a chest infection and small areas of lung collapse after the operation. The Physiotherapy Team, along with the Nursing Team, will support patients to get moving again after their surgery.

To help the team we ask that well-fitting footwear is available from point of admission and if possible that patients bring their walking aid in to hospital with them. Also patients are encouraged to wear their own clothing as soon as possible after surgery - we suggest loose fitting loungewear to accommodate any swelling and additional attachments following surgery (e.g. stomas, wound drains, dressings).