Services offered at Fort Napier Hospital

Psychology Department:

Diagnostic and psychotherapeutic services to adult mental healthcare users, children and adolescent outpatients under the age of 18 years and their families. Psychological services at community mental health clinics, general hospitals and primary health care centers. Forensic mental health assessments of clients referred by the courts. Health promotion programs to community organizations. Training of Intern Clinical Psychologists; teaching and clinical support to registered clinical psychologists and students of the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine. Research into mental health problems and training issues.

Occupational Therapy Department Services:

Rehabilitation therapy is based on the philosophies that through “doing” one can improve their health and well-being. Occupational Therapy focuses on core areas of occupations of a person’s life. These include; activities of daily living, community survival skills, work and leisure pursuit. Occupational Therapy enables, improves and equips the Mental Health Care User’s with the necessary skills to function independently when returning to their communities. This is done through Individual, group and pre-vocational skills training interventions.
Psycho-social rehabilitation programs of Individual and Group intervention include enablement and enhancement of skills such as Life skills training, Social skills training, Self-care management, Instrumental Activities of daily living and psycho-education. Some of the pre-vocational skills training programs include, car washing, concrete blocks and slaps manufacturing, vegetable gardening ,sewing ,shoe repairs and male industrial therapy. Male industrial therapy consists of a recycling project as well as contract work for businesses around Pietermaritzburg. Patients are compensated for the work they do. This has a dual purpose in providing a sense of self-worth and achievement as well as a chance to provide training on money management

Social Work Department:

Social work provides an integrated high quality and comprehensive social work service to mental healthcare users and their families. To ensure holistic patient care individual and group therapies, community work, research and administration (social work methods) services are provided.

Social work renders psychosocial rehabilitation programs like restorative justice and victim empowerment to empower mental healthcare users. Psycho-education, home visits, significant other interviews, family meeting and family days are provided to families and communities.

Relevant stakeholders, e.g. NGO’S, FBO’s; departments of Home affairs, social development, SAPS, etc are engaged during psychosocial rehabilitation process to ensure adaption during family reunification and community integration.

Provision of psychosocial reports (collateral) for forensic mental health clients referred by courts. Family tracing for MHCU who have lost contact with their families. Facilitate Pauper’s burial for MCHU’S when necessary. Training of student social workers and intern social workers.

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