Frank Cooksey Rehabilitation Unit

What we do

We provide intensive inpatient neuro-rehabilitation for patients recovering from a severe neurological event such as brain injury, disease or trauma who need specialist care to aid their recovery. This includes help with learning how to walk, talk, dress and do everyday activities.

Our large multi-disciplinary team includes neuro-rehabilitation doctors, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists. They work together to help patients make the transition from hospital to home.

Our 15-bed, medium-stay unit sees people who need rehabilitation because of a wide range of illnesses or injuries, such as:

  • stroke
  • brain and spinal cord injuries
  • peripheral neuromuscular diseases such as Guillain Barré syndrome, critical illness neuropathy, polymyositis.

Location

First Floor, Orpington Hospital, Sevenoaks Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 9JU

Contact Details

Conditions we treat

We provide inpatient rehabilitation for patients who are 16 or over with complex neurological disability (a physical disability, often with cognitive and/or communication problems) who require more than one intensive therapy discipline (OT, PT, SLT) and/or psychology. These patients’ needs are such that they require an inpatient stay in a specialised unit to optimise their recovery.

The main patient groups we treat are people recovering from:

  • an acquired brain injury of any cause
  • incomplete spinal cord lesions of any cause
  • complete thoracic and lumbar spinal cord lesions, if a referral to a RSCIC has been made but access is delayed or the patient has been declined
  • peripheral neuromuscular disease, such as Guillain Barré syndrome, critical illness neuropathy, polymyositis.

Please see full service specification and admissions guide below.

We mostly work with King's patients from Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Bexley and Greenwich, but also help patients from Guy's & St Thomas', Lewisham and Sidcup hospitals. In addition, we take patients from other parts of London, usually where there are no specialist rehab services available.

What is required before referring a patient

Admission will not merely be for placement, containment or to await rehousing.

Patients must be:

  • medically stable before referral and admission
  • able to maintain their own airway throughout a 24-hour period
  • able to tolerate at least two half-hour sessions of rehabilitation therapy each day
  • self-motivated to achieve rehabilitation goals.

They should not demonstrate psychiatric or behavioural problems that may pose a significant risk to other patients, staff or to themselves.

Booking a patient at King's

Routine Referrals

For routine referrals, contact the FCRU Data and Admin Coordinator:
Tel 01689 866380
Email kch-tr.FCRUreferrals@nhs.net

Emergency Referrals

We do not take emergency referrals as we offer rehabilitation to medically stable, non-emergency patients.

Other Queries

For advice and guidance, contact the FCRU Data and Admin Coordinator:
Tel 01689 866380

Referral Forms

Please complete the relevant form and note any pre-consultation investigations required:

Key Clinical Staff

Name Job Title
Dr Eleonora Bradaschia Locum Consultant
Dr Emer McGilloway Consultant Rehabilitation Medicine

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