Occupational Therapy – Richardson Eating Disorder Service

Our lives are comprised of hundreds of activities that occupy our waking hours. These “occupations” have a great impact on how we feel physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. They can provide a sense of satisfaction and well-being, or they can create stress, imbalance, and unhappiness.

Occupational therapy helps to solve the problems that interfere with your ability to do the things that are important to you. It can also look at how problems arise and help prevent or minimize their effects.

When an injury, illness, disability or other problem limits your ability to:
• Take care of and look after yourself,
• Participate in paid or unpaid work,
• Continue with your education, or;
• Balance the time you spend on yourself, e.g. hobbies, sports, spending time with family, then you may want to learn some new skills for the job of living from an occupational therapist.

• Develop your confidence and motivation to have interests and be able to maintain what you believe are useful every day activities.
• Enable you to establish routines and coping strategies which help you take responsibility and be able to create a balance in life.
• Help you to develop mobility, strength and co-ordination required to carry out activities of daily living safely and independently and to be able to pace yourself efficiently.
• Offer the opportunity to experience life in a variety of environments that are important to you, with access to resources and support to help you remain independent.
• Explore roles and activities that might help you enjoy life more and create a balance between work, leisure and self-care.
• Offer the opportunity to engage in meaningful activity to build a sense of purpose and identity outside of the eating disorder.

Once you have discussed and agreed with your Occupational Therapist what life skills you might need to develop you may be offered:
• Food management
• Anxiety management/relaxation
• Assertiveness/self awareness
• Expressive arts
• Eat Well ‘n’ Feel Well
• Work/leisure/community activities
• Activity management
• Goal setting/problem solving
• Life balance
• These can be done in 1:1 sessions or groupwork
• Sensory modulation

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website
• telephone the Complaints Department on 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected]. Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

• the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
• complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
• other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved one’s care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: [email protected]
Post: FREEPOST PALS

9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday

An answerphone is always available for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

Richardson Eating Disorder Service
Richardson Unit
Leazes Wing
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4LP

Telephone: 0191 282 5259
Email: [email protected]

Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk.

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please telephone the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/355/0425 April 2025 V7

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2028