Luton & Beds Occupational Therapy

Welcome to Occupational Therapy for Mental Health in Luton & Bedfordshire

Occupational Therapy (OT) in Luton & Beds at East London NHS Foundation Trust helps adults and older people with severe and enduring mental health conditions, physical health problems or cognitive difficulties to live meaningful, satisfying lives. Our teams focus on what matters to you – your daily routines, roles, activities and goals, and work alongside you to build skills, confidence and independence.

What We Do

Our OT services provide assessment, intervention and rehabilitation to support people to manage everyday activities at home, in hospital and in the community. We use evidence-based approaches, goal-focused treatment and close collaboration with families, carers and wider multidisciplinary teams.

OT can help you with things like:

• Managing personal care, home tasks and routines.

• Building structure and motivation in your day.

• Accessing education, work, leisure and community activities.

• Developing coping strategies for anxiety, low mood or distress.

• Supporting sensory, cognitive and communication needs.

Who We Support

We work with adults and older people who are receiving care from ELFT mental health and learning disability services in Luton and Bedfordshire. This includes people experiencing severe and enduring mental health difficulties, dementia and related conditions, and people with a learning disability who need support with everyday living.

We also work closely with families, carers and support networks to help them understand the person’s needs and to sustain independence and safety wherever possible.

Our Services

Working Age Inpatient Wards

Our Working Age Inpatient Mental Health OT teams are based on adult mental health wards and psychiatric intensive care units. We provide assessment and treatment to help you maintain daily living skills, manage the impact of your mental health, and prepare for discharge back to the community.

Older Adults Services

Older People’s Mental Health OT supports people living with dementia, functional mental illness in later life, and age-related physical or cognitive changes. We focus on enabling safe, meaningful daily living in hospital, at home and in care settings.

Community Services

Our Community OT service works with people living at home or in the community who are under ELFT mental health teams. We help you identify what is important in your day-to-day life and support you to build the skills, confidence and structure to achieve your goals.

Perinatal Services

Specialist OT services provide targeted assessment and intervention for people in crisis or with specific needs. We currently offer OT provision in the Crisis team and Perinatal Mental Health service. Interventions include sensory-based work, goal attainment and graded exposure, complex functional assessments, or specialist interventions linked to particular pathways.

Services for People with a Learning Disability

Our OT services for people with a learning disability focus on supporting independence, safety and participation in meaningful activities across home and community settings. We work alongside the person, their family, carers and support staff to understand strengths, needs and priorities.

Crisis Resolution Home Treatment teams

The crisis resolution and home treatment (CRHT) service offers an alternative to hospital admission. We recognise the benefits of a service user remaining in their own home to support their mental health recovery. We work with adults who are under the care of the crisis team whose current mental health challenges are impacting on their ability to manage everyday tasks.

How to refer to Occupational Therapy

If you feel you would benefit from working with an Occupational Therapist and are currently receiving care from East London NHS Foundation Trust, please discuss this with your care coordinator, named nurse or support worker.

Where are we located?

Where else can I get help?

Mind BLMK works across our communities to support positive mental health and wellbeing.

MIND BLMK

Tibbs Dementia Foundation is a beacon of hope and support, dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with dementia, and their carers.

Tibbs Dementia

autism beds

A charity dedicated to creating a world where autistic people are accepted, understood, and celebrated for who they are.

Autism Bedfordshire

Blue Sky Carers Support – Practical support. Trusted advice. A space for carers.

Blue Sky provides support for unpaid carers who look after a family member, friend or loved one.

Blue Sky

Working With Us

If you are passionate about making a positive difference to people living with mental illness and are considering a career in Occupational Therapy, we would love to hear from you. We are recruiting qualified OTs and support staff across a number of our teams in a supportive, collaborative service focused on high-quality care and staff wellbeing. You can expect:

A supportive multidisciplinary team culture with opportunities for creative, evidence based practice.
Strong commitment to learning, supervision, training and interprofessional development
Robust wellbeing offer, including 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with service), and a comprehensive employee support package

To see a list of our current vacancies, please click here.