New Splint Oven at Cromer Hospital expands Occupational Therapy Services to North Norfolk

Cromer Community and Hospital Friends have raised £250 and purchased a new splint oven allowing more patients to receive specialist occupational therapy treatment locally.

The new oven makes splints for wrists, thumbs and insoles for feet using a new thermoplastic material that has just come onto the market. The oven features a new technology setting the splints at a lower temperature using hot air meaning it is more environmentally friendly, quicker to set and more efficient. The oven is able to heat up instantly allowing more splints to be set in a day leading to patients being seen quicker. The materials are available in a range of bright colours making it more appealing to younger patients.

Paul Mc Dermott, Senior Occupational Therapist said: “It’s an exciting new development that will allow us to use our creativity alongside our clinical expertise, both in Rheumatology and Hand Therapy and we’re looking forward to trying it out as soon as we can!”

Money was raised to purchase the machine through the Cromer Hospital fete and marathon sponsorship for the Operations Manager at Cromer Hospital.

Helen Lloyd, Operational Manager at Cromer Hospital said; “We’re really pleased that we have now expanded our services to include a splint oven to provide treatment for occupational therapy patients. The modern technology the oven has will mean we can treat patients quicker improving their patient experience.”

Louise Cook, Fundraising Manager, said: “It’s great that funds raised by the local community can go back to benefit the local community through providing equipment which increases the services available to our North Norfolk patients.”

Notes to Editors
Picture attached of Mary Northway, Chairperson of the Cromer Community and Hospital Friends handing over the splint oven to Paul Mc Dermott, Senior Occupational Therapist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Trust