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Rehabilitation of military personnel : our role as occupational therapists
Occupational therapists from the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall give us an insight into their ‘ unique ’ role and the therapeutic opportunities that are available to the people they support .
O
ccupational therapy and the rehabilitation of military personnel is deeply rooted in the formation of the profession .
The impact of warfare and the preparation to go to war can have an enduring physical , cognitive , mental and social impact on a serving personnel ’ s quality of life ( Eakman and Radomski 2017 ). This is why occupational therapists have a unique skill set in supporting recovery and rehabilitation through a holistic biopsychosocial approach .
The aim of occupational therapy within this clinical setting is to support wounded , injured or sick tri-service personnel in their recovery , whether this be returning to duty and operational deployment or supporting community reintegration and transition , while achieving the maximum level of physical , psychological and social function ( Eakman and Radomski 2017 ).
DMRC Stanford Hall
In the Autumn of 2018 , Headley Court , the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre ( DMRC ) based in Surrey , moved 139 miles north to Stanford Hall in Stanford on Soar .
DMRC is a purpose-built centre with inpatient and outpatient capacity . The provision of rehabilitation is consultant led , with a specialist interdisciplinary team of occupational therapists , physiotherapists , exercise rehabilitation instructors , podiatrists , speech and language therapists , a dietician , recreational therapists , psychologists , social workers and rehabilitation assistants , to treat a diverse range of injuries sustained by military personnel on or off duty , such as a sporting injury , road traffic accidents , head injuries and musculoskeletal complaints .
Occupational therapy is well valued within DMRC , with a team of 31 occupational therapists , two recreational therapists and four rehabilitation assistants .
Our role and therapeutic opportunities
Occupational therapists deliver a holistic , personalised , evidence-based service to enable patients to return to a