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Hand therapy

Our hands and upper limb are important for many activities from the fine movements needed for buttons, zips or using cutlery to the gestures we use when we speak to express ourselves. When their use is restricted through an accident or illness, it can affect physical and and mental well being. Our expert hand therapy team provide support to a wide variety of clients including those experiencing difficulties following a fracture or a burn, arthritis or an amputation.

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What is hand therapy?

Hand therapy is a highly specialised branch of occupational therapy and physiotherapy. It takes many years to develop the skills needed to be an expert hand therapist and we are proud to have some of the country’s leading hand therapists on our team.

A hand therapist assesses and treats the hand and upper limb to effectively reduce pain, inflammation and scaring and maximise independence.

From supplying aids for day-to-day living, or splints which allow your hand to rest in comfort, to exercises that increase flexibility and range of motion in the joints, every client is given a thorough, individualised home assessment and treatment programme.

Our approach

We aim to provide relevant, timely, goal orientated hand therapy treatment and rehabilitation programmes to clients in their own homes. Our collaborative approach, with the client at the centre, ensures the client receives the highest level of clinical care, training and support to empower them to manage their own hand therapy rehabilitation with professional support. Our aim is to help clients to become as independent as possible, as soon as possible, through result driven occupational therapy delivered by expert therapists.

Why use The OT Practice to provide hand therapy?

  • We believe that our role is to equip clients with the skills needed to become as independent as possible in their every day life, ultimately independent of and not dependent upon, the help we provide.
  • We provide advice from the moment you first call us. Our hand therapy enquiries are answered by a member of our client management team who will be able to provide relevant information about our service, answer any questions you may have and provide guidance on next steps.
  • Using us allows rapid access to expert hand therapy rehabilitation services avoiding long NHS or Social Service waiting lists.
  • We have a nationwide team of expert hand therapists and will select the best therapist for you based on your location and clinical need.
  • Our packages of care are provided into client’s own homes meaning that advice is realistic based on the environment and resources available.
  • We provide splinting assessment and casting at a client's own home through our mobile splinting service avoiding the need to arrange transport to specialist clinics.
  • We provide an all inclusive cost to ensure that our services are fully transparent from the start.

Public sector, charities and businesses

Is your organisation looking for professional OT services?

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Common difficulties we treat

Find out more about how our hand therapy OT's can treat specific difficulties by visiting our dedicated pages.

Common conditions we help with

Find out more about how our hand therapy OT's can help by visiting our pages dedicated to specific conditions.

Our client’s experience

In 2013 Catrin was returning from a ski season in the French Alps when the coach she was travelling in lost control and burst into flames. Catrin experienced 96% third degree burns and spent 3 months in an induced coma. The OT Practice Hand Therapy team worked with Catrin to understand and achieve her goals.

Hear from Catrin how OT helped her
Catrin
More from our  A New Normal  video series

Packages of care

Assessment & advice

A full hand therapy assessment is completed to allow the therapist to clearly establish the current level of function and difficulties, understand the medical history or diagnosis and identify a goal orientated treatment plan, The assessment is a collaborative process for us to gain the information we need but also an opportunity for us to provide immediate advice and treatment as needed.

One-to-one treatment sessions

Bespoke treatment packages are delivered through one to one sessions working towards hand therapy rehabilitation goals that are realistic and achievable. Treatment is tailored around the challenges that are identified during the assessment.

Examples of treatment programmes may be to help manage scar tissue or swelling, or to increase joint flexibility and range of movement. We can also follow a post surgery protocol as directed by a hand surgeon. Our team treat in client's own homes to avoid the need to go to a clinic setting. Sessions are delivered for as long needed generally in blocks of 8 to allow us to review progress and goals as we go. Hand therapy treatment will often be delivered in conjunction with a home programme.

Home treatment programs

Not all client’s need one to one treatment sessions.

A home programme that is designed by us but carried out either independently or with family support can provide rehabilitation techniques and strategies to be implemented into every day life. A home activity programme has the advantage it can be completed when energy levels and time allows.

Splinting

Our hand therapy team can provide bespoke moulded splints as needed. With advances in technology in the hand rehabilitation market they will also be able to advise on and fit 'off the shelf' splints if this is appropriate and more cost effective.

Any splints provided can be reviewed and adjusted for comfort and function as advised.

Training

Our aim is to support clients to become independent of us and not dependent upon us. We can provide training to clients directly or their carers on how to manage their hand rehabilitation in their every day life. We can also train teams on some of the most common hand therapy conditions, difficulties or techniques.

International services

Our team of highly skilled hand therapists often assess and treat adults and children from overseas while in the UK, in order to prepare for their return home. We provide assessments, advice, splints, treatment programmes (with diagrams) and training to ensure that progress is maintained.

When necessary our hand therapists also travel abroad to provide one to one assessments, splints and intensive treatment.

A few of our hand therapists

Meet a selection of our occupational therapists specialising in hand therapy

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Ebby

Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Ebby provides expert Occupational Therapy, helping adults across Scotland with Functional Rehabilitation and Hand Therapy.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Scotland, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Argyll and Bute, Borders, Clackmannan, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh (City of), Falkirk, Glasgow (City of), Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian, Glasgow, Edinburgh

Specialisms

Hand Therapy, Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Community access, Planning & execution, Self care, Social integration

Emma

Plymouth, Cornwall

Specialising in Hand Therapy and Functional Rehab, Emma is a highly skilled OT based in Cornwall.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Cornwall, Devon

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Planning & execution, Self care, Splinting

Jenna

Oxfordshire, South East of England

Operating in the South of England, OT Jenna specialises in hand therapy, functional rehabilitation, moving and handling, and splinting

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Oxfordshire

Specialisms

Hand Therapy, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Splinting

Edwina

Cardiff, Wales

Working in Cardiff, South Wales, and South West England, Edwina provides expert Hand Therapy to clients across the region.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Cardiff, Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea

Specialisms

Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Self care, Splinting

Helen

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Helen is an expert Hand Therapist, delivering specialist rehabilitation assessments and treatment across Nottinghamshire.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, West Midlands, East Midlands, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, Nottingham

Specialisms

Hand Therapy, Functional rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Self care, Splinting

Holly

Greater Manchester, North West England

Based in Stockport, Holly is an expert Hand Therapist, helping clients to improve upper limb function and mobility.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Liverpool, Manchester, Derby

Specialisms

Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Co-ordination, Self care, Splinting

Morven

Edinburgh, East Lothian

Morven has over 30 years' experience as an OT in paediatric and adult hand therapy, neuro rehabilitation and more.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Scotland, Borders, East Lothian, Edinburgh (City of), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow (City of), Midlothian, Perthshire and Kinross, Stirling, West Lothian, Glasgow, Edinburgh

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Hand Therapy, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation, Housing and Equipment

Further qualifications

Train the trainer

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Fine motor skills, Self care, Social integration, Anxiety management & relaxation

Jan

Greater Manchester, North West England

Jan is an expert Hand Therapist, delivering specialist assessments and treatment for clients in the North West of England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Salford

Specialisms

Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

Fine motor skills, Splinting

Kieran

Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Specialising in hand therapy, Kieran, an Occupational Therapist, possesses advanced skills in pain management, fine motor skills, and splinting.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, Wakefield

Specialisms

Hand Therapy, Housing and Equipment

Specialist skills

Pain management, Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Self care, Splinting

Mary

Staffordshire, East Midlands

Mary is an experienced Occupational Therapist specialising in rehabilitation for long-term conditions, providing tailored therapy across the Midlands.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

East Midlands, West Midlands

Specialisms

Neurological rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation, Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

TBI

Liz

London - West, London

Liz is a Hand Therapist delivering specialist therapy to clients across the home counties, including Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex

Specialisms

Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

Pain management, Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Self care, Splinting

Maria

Swindon, Gloucestershire

With over 15 years experience occupational therapist Maria, specializes in hand therapy, functional rehabilitation, and moving and handling,

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Swindon

Specialisms

Hand Therapy, Moving and Handling, Functional rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Balance, Self care, Splinting

Oonagh

Down, Northern Ireland

Based in County Down, Northern Ireland, Oonagh is an expert Hand Therapist supporting clients with traumatic injuries and chronic conditions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Northern Ireland, Antrim, Armagh, Down, Belfast

Specialisms

Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

PIPs, Fatigue management, Pain management, Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Self care, Splinting

Rachel

Leicestershire, East Midlands

Rachel is an expert Hand Therapist based in Leicester, offering assessment and treatment for client across the region.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, East Midlands, Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Warwickshire, Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester

Specialisms

Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

Pain management, Splinting

Laura

Manchester, Greater Manchester

Laura is an empathetic and diligent practitioner with over 2 decades experience in functional rehabilitation and hand therapy.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Greater Manchester, Lancashire

Specialisms

Hand Therapy, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Self care, Splinting, Anxiety management & relaxation

Jenny

Berkshire, South of England

Working in the South, Jenny is an Occupational Therapist with a specialization in hand therapy, particularly excelling in splinting.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire

Specialisms

Hand Therapy

Specialist skills

Splinting

Services for businesses, organisations and the public sector

Case managers

Assessments, treatment, training and splinting for clients in their own homes.

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Hand surgeons

Splinting and specialised hand therapy rehabilitation programmes in your clinic or the patient's home.

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International clients

Occupational therapy services delivered overseas or in the UK for international clients.

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Healthcare concierge

Assessment & treatment services for clients in their own homes in the UK or internationally.

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Solicitors

Professional assessment reports and treatment for your client's rehabilitation needs.

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Commonly asked questions about our hand therapy service

What sorts of conditions are treated by your hand therapists?

We assess and treat clients with every variety of hand and upper-limb difficulties resulting from accidents or illness. Common examples are burns, orthopaedic trauma, scarring, neurological conditions or pain. We often receive referrals from case managers looking for a hand therapist to treat a neurological upper limb difficulty. Our skilled client managers are occupational therapists as well and will work with you to ascertain if it is a hand therapist or a neurological occupational therapist that would be meet the needs of your clients.

How can I be sure that your hand therapists are properly qualified and accountable?

Our therapists are all highly experienced, possessing a wide range of postgraduate training, typically including the British Association of Hand Therapists Level 2 course. All are thoroughly interviewed prior to joining us, and we insist on a minimum of five years post-qualification experience as well as membership of the College of Occupational Therapists. Copies of all relevant documentation such as DBS, HCPC and professional body registration are held on file.

When you first contact us, one of our client managers will discuss your specific case requirements in detail to be sure that we provide you with our most suitable therapist, whose professional resumé can then be made available for your inspection before any commitment to engage our services.

Finally, all reports and recommendations written by our therapists are closely reviewed by client managers who are themselves occupational therapists, to guarantee that all clinical reasoning employed is correctly aligned to the client’s needs and interests.

Would I or my client need to travel to a clinic?

All of our assessments and treatments are delivered to your clients in their own homes so there are no transport issues for them to contend with. We will visit them at a time convenient to them that fits around family, work or other rehabilitation commitments.

Can you provide splints?

Yes, if your client requires splinting to maintain function and positioning then our occupational therapist will advise on this. There are many excellent ‘off the shelf’ splints available and we will advise on the most suitable one. If this is not applicable for your client then we can mould a bespoke splint for them at home.

Are your therapists able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team?

Our hand therapists are used to working collaboratively in order to ensure the best possible outcome for clients, and often provide joint assessment and treatment sessions with physiotherapists and others.

What steps will the therapist take prior to providing any treatment?

After an initial assessment the hand therapist will complete a detailed report addressing the specific questions that have been asked by the client and / or case manager at the time of referral.

The assessment session also aims to educate and train the client as to the best way to maintain and protect their hand or upper limb whilst we wait for treatment funding to be approved.

The assessment report may then recommend further treatment, splinting or equipment as appropriate and all recommendations fully costed for ease of approval.

How do I make a referral to The OT Practice?

Referrals to The OT Practice are extremely straightforward. Simply contact one of our client managers via telephone (0330 024 9910) or email (enquiries@theotpractice.co.uk) to discuss your case. We can then email you a quote, together with a link to our online referral form.

Once you have completed the referral form, we will allocate the case to the occupational therapist who will make contact with the nominated person to arrange an initial visit.

Looking for more information?

We have more commonly asked questions tailored to the types of services we offer: