A new occupational therapy assessment clinic has been launched in Carlisle.

The initiative, announced during Occupational Therapy Week, is a collaboration between the University of Cumbria and Cumberland Council.

The clinic aims to support the increasing number of people needing help from the Adult Social Care teams of the local authority.

Occupational therapy focuses on aiding individuals to engage in their everyday activities, thereby improving their overall wellbeing and standard of living.

The university's Fusehill Street campus houses the Adult Social Care Clinic, which is staffed by qualified occupational therapists from Cumberland Council.

They are supported by BSc (Hons) and MSc Occupational Therapy students from the University of Cumbria.

The campus has dedicated areas for honing clinical skills, which are being used in the operation of the clinic.

The need for occupational therapy services is on the rise, largely due to Cumbria's ageing population.

The new clinic provides an option for those who can travel to the university site, allowing them to be seen more quickly.

More individuals can be attended to in a clinic setting compared to the traditional method of occupational therapists making individual home visits.

This will help manage waiting lists and support those seeking assistance from the service.

The clinic also provides an opportunity for University of Cumbria occupational therapy students to develop their skills by working with expert practitioners.

Susie Wilson, professional lead for occupational therapy at the University of Cumbria, said: "We are delighted to partner with the occupational therapists in adult social care in this exciting, contemporary service initiative which aims to offer fast track occupational therapy assessment for people in the Carlisle area.

"It provides an excellent authentic learning experience where students can actively engage and work alongside expert occupational therapists.

"This year, the focus of OT Week that runs until 10 November is 'The Power of Occupational Therapy – Transforming Health and Social Care'.

"This is a brilliant example of a new way of working that aims to transform social care delivery for people locally."

Doreen Singleton, principal occupational therapist and service manager at Cumberland Council, added: "This clinic is a great example of a joint initiative which not only offers more choice and a timelier assessment for some of our customers who are waiting for our services, but also helps skill up our future potential workforce.

"Only by working together across the breadth of our social care, health and educational landscape can we maximise our potential to meet people’s needs.

"This initiative brings that added value now and hopefully for the future by further embedding of practice opportunities within the educational setting."