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Patients & Visitors

Cancer Rehab Team

Occupational Therapy

Our Occupational therapists work with you to find strategies that enable you to do the everyday things that you want and need to do.

We provide advice and practical strategies to support you to manage:

  • Energy levels, fatigue and sleep
  • Stress, anxiety or low mood
  • Communication with friends, family and colleagues
  • Issues related to work (including advice on reasonable adjustments if required)

We can also provide adaptive equipment and liaise with community services to arrange a home assessment.

How can I manage my fatigue?

Person juggling Person juggling but dropping balls Person leaning against a wall struggling to hold one ball Person sitting at a table with a hand on a ball Person collapsed into an armchair surrounded by balls lying on the floor
I can do everything I normally do I can do almost everything I normally do I can do some of the things I normally do I do what I have to do I can do very little

Adapted from original developed during a research project supported by the Victorian Government through the Victoria Cancer Agency Health services Research Fellowship

Mild or no fatigue (green)

Carry on with normal daily activities including physical activity and exercise.

Moderate to severe fatigue (orange and red)
  • Discuss your fatigue with your Haematology or Oncology team so that issues like pain and medication effects can be reviewed.
  • Contact your Occupational Therapist or Cancer Support Worker. We can support you to manage your energy and will liaise with other members of the team if you need support with specific issues like nutrition.

This video gives information and advice on how to manage cancer-related fatigue.

There are also resources to manage fatigue here.

How can I improve my sleep?

Difficulties sleeping can affect your energy levels, mood and ability to take part in everyday activities and exercise.

If you are:

  • Struggling to fall asleep (taking more than 20 minutes)
  • Waking several times a night
  • Unable to fall back to sleep within 20 minutes
  • Waking early and being unable to get back to sleep
  • Feeling tired and lethargic in the morning

... then it is important to explore ways to improve your sleep.

These videos about sleep on the health connections website provide useful information.

Sleep Well on Vimeo explains how sleep works and ways to improve your sleep

Still Awake? Help for Insomnia on Vimeo has more information about how to manage insomnia

There are also resources on how to manage sleep here.

Contact us

For any queries about occupational therapy or physiotherapy please contact the Therapies Admin team on 01225 821241 or email us at ruh‑tr.cancerrehab@nhs.net


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