Ascent Health and Wellbeing

Occupational Therapist - Deepika Lawrence

Role Overview - 

An Occupational Therapist (OT) isn't anything to do with your "Occupation" or employment. An OT assists people living with disability or long term conditions that affect ability to perform their day to day activities. Our day to day activities are what we do normally everyday, like getting washed and dressed, preparing a meal, using the toilet/ bath/ shower, managing our medication, our hobbies, etc. Occupational Therapy aims to help patients remain safe in their homes and keep them functioning and active as long and as easily as possible.
An Occupational Therapy assessment usually involves a home visit so that recommendations can be tailor-made specific to your environment. 

Some examples of how your OT can help:
  • Recommending alternate methods of carrying out your day to day tasks
  • Prescribing equipment to assist you at home
  • Falls prevention assessments
  • Dementia reviews and memory screening tests
  • Advice on adaptations or how to make your home meet your needs
  • Referring on to other specialist teams if appropriate.
Deepika is also the PCN lead on Frailty and proactive care and she is conducting research in conjunction with the University of Bedfordshire on this subject. You may be contacted for an over 65s or over 75s review as part of her targetted project work. 
 
Appointments - by referral only
  • Must be over 18 years of age
  • Must be registered at one of the PCN surgeries: Asplands, Woburn, Fishermead or Walnut Tree
You can be referred by your practice clinicians or request referral to the Occupational Therapist (OT) directly by contacting your Practice Reception team asking for a referral to the "PCN OT". 
Deepika will then be in touch within a few days to do an initial assessment of your needs and arrange any follow-up visits.


Work Schedule -

Across the 3 Practices for home visits and assessments Monday to Friday