Our Hand Therapy team cares for people with new hand and arm problems requiring splints or exercises.

About this service

Our Hand Therapy team is made up of Physiotherapists and Occupational therapists. We are part of the multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses and other staff who care for people with new hand and arm problems.

We have two different services:

• Outpatient Hand Therapy appointments.
• Hand Therapy clinic service for people with an Outpatient Plastic/Orthopaedic Clinic appointment.

See 'what to expect' further down this page for more information.

We offer various hand therapy services for your hand and arm injury including:

• Providing you with information about your injury and how to manage it.
• Creating splints to protect your injured finger, hand and/or arm to allow it to heal.
• Showing you exercises to move and strengthen your hand and arm.

Who we care for

Our services are available for patients referred by the Plastics, Orthopaedic or Emergency Department Doctors and Physiotherapists.

If you see your GP for your hand injury, they will refer you to see one of the above departments to gain a referral to our service.

These services are free if you have a Medicare card.

If you don’t have a Medicare card or you are covered by Worker’s Compensation, you will be referred to see a Private Hand Therapist, Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist, rather than being seen at Canberra Hospital. You will still be seen by the Doctors and Nurses in the Outpatient Clinics.

How to access this service

We offer both booked appointments and appointments to complement existing Plastics/Orthopaedics appointments.

If you attend the Emergency Department or Plastics or Orthopaedic clinics, your doctor or physiotherapist may refer you to our Hand Therapy service for a follow-up appointment. If this happens, we will call you to book in an appointment to get a splint and/or exercises.

You may also be asked to see the Hand Therapy team in the same visit as your booked outpatient Plastics/Orthopaedic appointment. If you are unable to see us during the same visit, the team in Plastics/Orthopaedics might refer you to see us at a later date. In this case we will phone you to make an appointment.

If you want to check on your referral, please contact us by phone or email between 8am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

• Phone: (02) 5124 2154
• Email: asphysiotherapy@act.gov.au

What to expect

Booked appointments

Your Hand Therapy referral is reviewed to make sure you are seen at the right time for your injury. The administration staff will contact you within one to two weeks of receiving your referral to make an appointment. Please let us know if you would like an appointment reminder.

When you arrive for your Hand Therapy appointment you will need to check-in at the front desk.

During your appointment, you will be assessed to work out the treatment you need. We will then talk you through the different treatment options available.

We will make you any splints, teach you exercises and give you any information you might need to manage your injury.

We will then book you in for any more hand therapy appointments you might need.

Clinic service for Plastic and Orthopaedic clinic patients.

If you are asked to see our team during your Plastics or Orthopaedic outpatient appointment, you may need to wait a short time in the waiting room before seeing a hand therapist.

You will have a short assessment and then we will make any splints, teach you exercises and answer any questions you might have.

We will offer options for you to continue treatment for your injury, such as booked Hand Therapy appointments.

What to bring to your appointment

• Medicare card
• Any letters or correspondence from your GP
• Medicines you need to take while you are here
• List of medicines you are currently taking (or the boxes), including medicines you have bought without a prescription, such as herbal supplements and vitamins
• Previous x-ray films, scans, ultrasounds or any other test results or reports

Where we’re located

Outpatient Hand Therapy appointments:

• Outpatient Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Building 15, Level 1, Canberra Hospital.

Clinic service for Plastics and Orthopaedic clinic patients:

• Central Outpatients or Fracture Clinic, Building 1, Level 2, Canberra Hospital.

We have directions to Canberra Hospital.