Abstract
A project has been established to try to improve the quality of care given to patients after discharge from neurosurgery following a head injury. Set within the administrative area of Leeds City Council with a population of nearly three-quarters of a million people, it attempts to focus a small part of the social services occupational therapy service to respond to head injured patients and their families. During 1990, 56 patients were discharged from neurosurgery after 2 or more days' stay following a head injury, and were visited by one of three community occupational therapists specialising in head injury. They were given a comprehensive assessment of need after which the occupational therapist responded by (a) implementing a treatment programme and/or (b) providing equipment/adaptations and/or (c) referring to another agency. The average time taken to date for the initial assessment has been 2½ hours, with a range of 1–4 hours. Questions have arisen about the expanding role for the community occupational therapist with this group of service users.
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