Our services
Our Neurological Therapy Team provides physiotherapy and occupational therapy for people with neurological conditions.
Our physiotherapists, occupational therapists and therapy assistants support patients both in hospital and as outpatients, helping them improve their independence and quality of life.
Based at York Hospital, the service covers York and the surrounding area, including Bridlington and Scarborough.
The team is based in the Neurosciences Department at York Hospital. You can access the department from Junction 2 on the main corridor.
Call the Neurosciences Reception on 01904 725751.
Our normal working hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.
Neurological conditions can cause damage to the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. This damage can affect how messages are sent between the brain and the body, which may cause difficulties with movement, balance, coordination, strength and sensation, as well as problems such as muscle spasms, tremor, fatigue, or changes in thinking and behaviour.
These difficulties can affect a person’s ability to carry out everyday activities and maintain their independence. Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can help people manage these changes, improve movement and function, develop strategies for everyday tasks, and maximise independence and quality of life.
Conditions that may cause these difficulties include Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, ataxia, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), neuromuscular disorders, spinal cord injuries, Guillain-Barré syndrome, acquired brain injuries, peripheral neuropathy and Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Patients can be referred to the service by any healthcare professional. This could be your specialist nurse, GP, or consultant.
This service does not accept self-referrals.
There is a waiting list for this service. Referrals are reviewed and prioritised based on clinical need. This is not a rapid response service, so waiting times can vary depending on the urgency and priority of each referral.
Our inpatient therapists see patients staying in hospital who are under the care of a neurological consultant and need physiotherapy or occupational therapy. As an acute hospital service, the team assesses patients and provides treatment to help with movement, strength, stretching, thinking skills and everyday activities.
The team also works with patients and their families to plan the best and safest way to leave hospital. Where possible, we follow a 'Home First approach', supporting people to return home rather than moving to another care setting. If someone needs further rehabilitation before going home, the team may help arrange a transfer to a suitable rehabilitation unit.
Our outpatient therapists work with patients to understand how their neurological condition affects them and what they would like to achieve. Together, they agree goals and a treatment plan tailored to the patient’s needs.
Appointments can be provided face-to-face in clinic, by telephone or by video. Where appropriate, patients may also be seen in their own home or in a community setting, although home and community visits are currently limited to the York area.
The team works with other health and care services when needed and can direct patients and their carers to other sources of support. Once an agreed course of treatment is completed, patients are discharged from the service with advice and guidance to help them manage their condition independently.
Neuro physiotherapy aims to help people identify and manage symptoms affecting movement. Care involves a tailored rehabilitation programme, which can include:
Recovering from a neurological diagnosis or injury includes getting back to the life you want to live. The Neurological Occupational Therapy Team work with patients to build the skills, confidence, and strategies needed to live as independently as possible and focus on what matters most, whether that's getting dressed, preparing meals, returning to work, or reconnecting with their community.
Ths process includes taking time to understand the patient's strengths, as well as any challenges with movement, cognition, or mood. From there, our occupational therapists work with the patient to identify practical, personalised strategies and explore tools, equipment, and methods that can support the patient in their everyday life.
