About the Primary Care Adult Occupational Therapy Service
Primary care Occupational Therapists (OT) promote independence and enable service users to re-engage with the activities that they need or want to do in their everyday life.
OTs aim to enable service users to achieve maximum independence and quality of life and to develop and maintain a lifestyle that’s meaningful to them.
Who benefits from Occupational Therapy
Service users who may have some of the following conditions:
Chronic health conditions that are impacting on their ability to do their activities of daily living - Arthritis, COPD, Diabetes, Orthopaedic/Musculoskeletal, Cardiovascular/ Respiratory conditions, Sensory impairment, Immune system conditions, Cancers.
A suspected or diagnosed dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s, Lewey body, Frontotemporal).
Neuro-disabilities (e.g. Brain Injury, MS, MND, Parkinson’s Disease).
Please note that at this time we do not offer diagnostic assessment for Developmental Co-ordination Disorder/Dyspraxia through the adult OT service. We also are not involved in assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder/ADHD/Intellectual Disability or similar conditions and as such cannot accept referrals where this is specifically requested. We do not provide specialist interventions e.g. Hand therapy, Intensive Rehabilitation, Vocational/work related therapy but will endeavour to sign post you to appropriate agencies and services who can provide more appropriate service.
How we can support you
Occupational therapy intervention can be individual/group-based, depending on individual clients need and goals.
The OT will assess the service user’s abilities in the following areas:
- Carrying out daily living tasks, such as; bathing, dressing and household tasks.
- Abilities to take in, process and remember information.
- Moving and transferring from one position to another.
- Seating and Pressure Care.
- Safety and Falls Prevention.
- Access to their home and the local environment.
We work with people both in their own homes and in clinics based in primary care health centres. Intervention is specific to each service user. Examples of some OT intervention may include:
- recommending solutions to overcome functional limitations
- Promoting increased independence and safety.
- advising and educating clients and their family/carers
- assessing for and recommending adaptive equipment (medical card and long term illness cardholders) or information on private purchase (non-medical cardholders)
- advice on home and environmental adaptations
- assess and provide customised seating, wheelchairs, power mobility and pressure care
- liaison with hospital staff to facilitate hospital discharges to the home environment
Groups and Workshops
Where staffing capacity allows, we have run small educational group programmes and talks for Falls Education, Positive Aging, Jog your memory, Dementia Care and Self-management of Chronic Conditions.
Some of the above programmes are run with our Primary Care Team colleagues. We aim to run these programmes regularly throughout the year. This is dependent on staffing levels and client need.
Referral to our Occupational Therapy Service
You can be referred by a healthcare professional, such as your GP, Physiotherapist, Public Health Nurse or Speech and Language Therapist and it is also possible to self-refer to our service.
A Shared Adult Services referral form must be completed and returned to the Central Referrals office Email: cro.dncc@hse.ie for processing. The form can also be used to access services from physiotherapy, psychology, speech and language therapy, dietician services, social work, and public health nursing.
The link to access the referral form is as below:
Adults Services Referral Form (PDF, 718 KB, 9 pages)
What happens if you get referred?
Once we receive your referral we will send a text message to you outlining that a referral has been received. Your details will be added to our waiting list.
An Occupational Therapist will make contact with you by phone or in writing in advance to arrange an appointment time and location.
Your OT appointment may be carried out by phone, clinic-based within your home environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a grant to adapt my house now that my needs have changed?
People with a disability or older people may apply to their local county council for a home adaptation grant. For more information about home adaption grants, depending on the council area you live in, please see:
You may be asked for an Occupational Therapy report for some grants. You may wish to access this report privately and can find a list of Coru registered private OTs on the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland website aoti.ie.
My equipment supplied by OT is broken, how do I get it fixed?
Contact the OT Department by duty email and we will support you as required in seeking a repair or replacement. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Contact details for duty email can be found at the bottom of the page.
If your equipment is essential (such as a hoist) and requires urgent repair, please contact Fannin’s emergency line on 01 290 7080.
How do I arrange for my equipment to be collected if I no longer need it?
Please contact the OT department ask for a collection to be arranged. Contact details for duty email can be found at the bottom of the page.
My needs have changed since I was last seen by an Occupational Therapist, how do I arrange a review?
You will need to complete a new referral form to access a further OT visit/review.
Adults Services Referral Form (PDF, 718 KB, 9 pages)
The form should be returned by email to: cro.dncc@hse.ie and will be reviewed and prioritised locally and our team will be in touch to arrange a further appointment in due course.
I work as an Occupational Therapist in another service, my client who needs new equipment lives in your catchment area, can you fund this through Primary Care?
An outside prescription may be arranged, we have a process for assessing these funding requests. Contact the aids and appliances dedicated email address for further support ot.nd@hse.ie.
Do I need a medical card to be seen by a Primary Care Occupational Therapist?
No, we accept referrals from anyone over the age of 18 who lives in our catchment area.
We can supply equipment when needed to people with a Medical Card, LTI card, or a Health Act Amendment Card.
Aids and Appliances/Equipment Prescriptions
All aids and appliances and equipment prescriptions and queries should be directed by email to: ot.nd@hse.ie.
Contact Details
Network 1: Balbriggan Balbriggan, Ballyboughal, Balrothery, Lusk, Naul, Rush, Skerries
Balbriggan Duty for Adult Services Email: otduty.balbriggan@hse.ie
Network 2: Swords Swords, Kinsealy, Donabate, Oldtown, Portrane, St Margaret’s, The Ward.
Swords Duty for Adult Services Email: Otduty.swords@hse.ie
Network 3: Coastal Portmarnock, Baldoyle, Bayside, Howth, Malahide, Sutton
Coastal Duty for Adult Services Email: otdutycoastal@hse.ie
Network 4: Coolock Coolock, Beaumont, Clonshaugh, Darndale, Priorswood, Kilmore (parts of Artane and Harmonstown)
Coolock Duty OT for Adult Services Email: coolock.dutyot@hse.ie
Network 5: Kilbarrack Kilbarrack, Artane, Ayrfield, Balgriffin, Belmayne, Clarehall, Clongriffin, Donaghmede, Edenmore, Harmonstown, parts of Killester, Raheny, parts of Santry.
Kilbarrack Duty OT for Adult Services Email: dutyot@hse.ie
Speaking with an OT is confidential and we are governed by GDPR legislation.
We may sometimes link in with other healthcare professionals to make sure you are best supported, with your permission.
Occupational Therapy Tips and Strategies for Adults
We have included some leaflets that provide you with tips and strategies to help manage your daily activities. They are from the Cork and Kerry Primary Care Adult Occupational Therapy Department.
Choosing a chair (PDF, 34 KB, 1 page)
Buying and installing grab rails (PDF, 944 KB, 3 pages)
Preventing falls (PDF, 218 KB, 1 page)
Managing fatigue (PDF, 298 KB, 2 pages)
Mindfulness (PDF, 181 KB, 2 pages)
Improving wellness through occupation (PDF, 286 KB, 2 pages)
Tips to help your memory (PDF, 594 KB, 2 pages)
Pain management (PDF, 440 KB, 2 pages)
Preventing pressure ulcers (publichealth.hscni.net)
If you do not want to wait for a HSE OT assessment to access equipment
There is a list of private Occupational Therapists on the Association of Occupational Therapist of Ireland website (aoti.ie).
You can also purchase small pieces of equipment from medical supply shops or online. Bigger pieces of equipment can be available to hire. Check with your private health insurance company. Many policies will pay for items, including wheelchairs.
