Inpatient Therapy - Milford

We predominantly provide inpatient care for older adults who have been admitted to the Royal Surrey County Hospital following orthopaedic trauma or who have been impacted by increasing frailty. 

Many of our inpatients have sustained a broken bone (fracture), as a result of a fall or an accident. This may have required them to have orthopaedic surgery at Royal Surrey County Hospital, followed by an inpatient stay at Milford Community Hospital.

We also have inpatients, who have been admitted, for example following a fall, who have not sustained a fracture, but need an inpatient stay for other reasons.

We work closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), including the doctors, nurses, social workers and staff in the discharge team, to help people recover and ensure they have a safe discharge home.

We will work with you to help you to achieve your personal goals. These may be in relation to moving around your home, your ability to walk and to carry out activities of daily living, and personal care.

We will work with you to help you set realistic short and longer term goals, with an emphasis on self-management of your condition.

At your first appointment, with a physiotherapist or occupational therapist, an initial assessment will be completed. This will involve asking you questions, as well as a physical and functional assessment.

Usually, people are transferred to the Milford inpatient wards following an admission to Royal Surrey County Hospital. Some patients may be admitted directly from home, e.g. following admission to the Hospital at Home service, if an inpatient stay is needed.

During your inpatient stay, the therapists will ask you about your home set up and environment and how you were getting around your environment before your admission to hospital.

They will talk to you about your ability to carry out your day to day activities, whether you need any help at home and discuss with you what your therapy needs are.

The physiotherapists will assess your muscle strength, flexibility and ability to carry out functional tasks, for example getting in and out of bed and walking.

The occupational therapists will assess your ability to manage day to day tasks such as getting in and out of bed, toileting and getting washed and dressed. The outcomes of these assessments will help to identify what level of support and equipment you may require when you leave hospital. 

 

The physiotherapists and occupational therapists will help you to identify realistic and achievable goals for therapy and put a plan into place with you to support you to achieve these. 

This may include an exercise programme and help to practise getting out of bed, onto a chair and walking.

We also run regular physiotherapy-led groups which you may be asked to attend, if appropriate.

The occupational therapists may need to arrange to visit your home to see if there is anything that may help to make your home safer for you when you are discharged. For example, they may need to take some measurements, if you require any equipment when you leave hospital, such as a transfer aid or a grab rail.

We recognise that research shows the importance for patients to be discharged in a timely manner, ensuring that once you are medically appropriate for discharge, you do not remain in hospital longer than is necessary.

The team will begin planning for your discharge soon after you are admitted. You may need extra support from your family, friends and carers on discharge. Members of the social care or discharge teams may visit you, or your family, on the ward if your discharge destination is likely to change, or if you are likely to need more care following discharge.

The occupational therapists will also talk to you and your family about your set up at home, and how you were managing previously. They will assess your ability to manage daily activities and determine any extra support you may require once at home.

Many assessments are better completed with you once you return home, therefore assessments within the hospital will be kept to a minimum. The occupational therapists can hand over any ongoing assessments to community therapists who will review you once you’re back home, if deemed necessary.

We very much value your feedback and our therapists will ask you to fill in The Friends and Family Survey. This helps us to review our services and make any necessary changes.

Address: Milford Hospital, Tuesley Lane, Godalming, GU7 1UG 

• Milford Hospital reception: 01483 956400
• Holly Ward: 01483 956425
• Oak Ward: 01483 956416