Inpatient Rehabilitation Units

Powys Teaching Health Board has Inpatient Rehabilitation Units in Brecon (Epynt) and Newtown (Brynheulog).

Rehabilitation is an educational and therapeutic process through which you will learn and develop skills designed to:

• Help you achieve your personal rehabilitation goals
• Reach your safest level of independence
• Help you participate in your personal, family and community life.

What to expect whilst you are here?

The Rehabilitation journey includes setting goals and monitoring progress. It is helpful to think about what is important to you and what you want to achieve. This will motivate you towards achieving a successful rehabilitation outcome. You may want to involve your family, carers or others close to you in decisions about this. The Rehabilitation team will support you to set goals and action plans.

Examples of a long-term goal might be:

• to live independently at home;
• to return to hobbies, work, driving;
• to improve your mobility;
• to improve your attention, memory or communication

To get the most out of rehabilitation it is important that you attend therapy sessions and follow your rehabilitation programme. This includes individual and group sessions as well as any self-directed tasks that may have been given to you.

During your stay you will be allocated a ‘keyworker’ who will be your main point of contact throughout your stay. They are there to help co-ordinate information to do with your care or rehabilitation needs between all the other team members involved. To be prepared for eventual discharge, organising and planning your discharge will start early on during your stay and an estimated discharge date will be set.

Team members

During your admission you will be assessed and treated by different members of the Rehabilitation team as appropriate.

• GP or Consultant
• Registered Nurses
• Health care support workers
• Neuropsychologist
• Ward manager
• Ward Clerk
• Physiotherapists
• Occupational therapists
• Rehabilitation therapy assistants
• Speech and language therapists
• Speech and language therapist assistants
• Dietitians
• Pharmacy team
• Social Services
• Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO)
• Students of all different professions

Visiting

Family, friends and carers are welcome to visit you whilst you are here. We encourage you to involve the people who are important to you to support you. We will kindly ask visitors to wait until a therapy session has ended until you can see your visitors however we would be more than happy for them to be included in your session.

Visiting hours are typically between 13:30-16:30 and 18:30-20:00. However there can be some flexibility around these hours and should you need to visit at a different time, please speak to a team member. We also encourage the use of digital devices for video calls and you can either bring your own or borrow ours. There will be Wifi available to you.

As part of your rehabilitation, you can spend time off the ward. Please discuss this option with the staff as this needs to be reasonable for it not to impact on your rehabilitation

Useful items to have with you

It is important to feel active and motivated throughout your stay. We encourage you to ensure you have the following items with you;

• Daytime clothes, including outdoor jacket, gloves etc according to the season and loose clothing and shorts are also useful for therapy sessions.
• Nightwear and underwear
• Comfortable and supportive footwear such as trainers
• Toiletries such as shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush etc
• Communication aids (e.g glasses, hearing aid, communication folder)
• A mobile phone and a charger for keeping in touch
• Please discuss with staff if there is anything extra you would like to bring in

Other considerations

• You will need to arrange your own laundry either through family, friends or carers or there is an option to pay to get your laundry done through a private agency. The team can give you information on how to arrange this.
• If you have a specific religious need, please let us know to facilitate this for you.
• Visits from pets can be very important. We cannot allow access onto the unit but we are more than happy to welcome them into outdoor area of the unit.
• The hospital has a non-smoking policy, this includes the outdoor area, parking area and all other grounds. We do have a stop smoking service so please liaise with staff if you would like this input.

What happens when you’re ready to leave the Rehabilitation Unit?

Your stay on the unit is just a part of your rehabilitation journey. Once assessments are completed and your discharge destination has been established, you’ll be transferred appropriately. Everyone’s circumstances are different so what you may need or what may benefit you will be different for example;

• You may only need some emotional support or assistance with getting your shopping which the voluntary sector can assist with.
• You may have some ongoing therapy or nursing needs that can be continued at home so we would ask community services to visit you at home.
• You may need some daily assistance in the form of ‘a package of care’ or a care home. If you need to wait for this, we will transfer you to our Ready to Go Unit.

Useful Information

Community Connectors Service

01597 828649 / community.connectors@pavo.org.uk

The PAVO Community Connector will be present on the unit on set days. They can:

• Listen to you and understand ‘what matters’
• Help you to access local services and make sense of what is available
• Connect you with groups and activities in your area
• Work with you and your family
• Put you in contact with many 3rd sector organisations including British Red Cross: Powys Support at Home, Age Cymru Powys, Credu (Carers), Care & Repair Powys, Citizen Advice Powys, Powys Befriending Service and many many more

Ask to speak with the Community Connector when they are on the units.

The Money Advice Team

For assistance, contact 01597 826618 or via wrteam@powys.gov.uk

The Money Advice Team provides guidance on budgeting, debt management, benefits maximisation and financial support options.

Citizens Advice Powys

0345 6018421

Citizens Advice Powys is open to callers from Powys, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am until 3pm. If you leave your details and a short message they will return your call. For text relay service please use 18001 08082 505720

You can also use their online form at Powys Citizens Advice - How can we help? or visit your local outreach session. They provide free, confidential, impartial and independent information and advice on a range of matters including:

• Benefits
• Debt advice
• Energy advice
• Work
• Consumer advice and more.

Contact Details

Newtown

Brynheulog Rehabilitation Unit, Montgomeryshire County Infirmary, Llanfair Road, Newtown, Powys, SY16 2DW

01686 617214

Brecon

Epynt Rehabilitation Unit, Breconshire War Memorial Hospital, Cerrigcochion Road, Brecon Powys, LD3 7NS

01874 615741