Specialist Wheelchair Assessment

Getting the right wheelchair is all about getting the right assessment. An in-depth wheelchair assessment will ensure that you get a wheelchair that suits the client’s needs. Silver Fern Therapy is run by John Fitzpatrick. He’s been an occupational therapist for almost 20 years and has spent his entire career involved in wheelchair provision.

Silver Fern Therapy’s therapists have many years’ experience prescribing wheelchairs for both the NHS and private markets. They’re not trying to sell the client anything, so you can rest assured that the advice that they’re providing is professional, unbiased and impartial. They will work with the client to find out what they require from a wheelchair and then recommend a range of products to trial. If you choose to purchase a wheelchair, they can then work with Somerset Mobility & Stairlifts to ensure that the product you purchase is the right one for you.

Silver Fern Therapy uses a six-step process

• Referral – We accept referrals from anyone, and once we’ve received one, we contact the client to make arrangements for an assessment, which is usually in the form of a visit.
• Assessment – An assessment is crucial – no recommendation can be made without a full evaluation of the client’s needs.
• Trial – Following the assessment, we’ll have an idea of the right type of equipment, but an adequate trial is vital to ensure that the equipment will stand the test of time – generally, we’ll have most trial equipment in stock, but if necessary, we can order more from a retailer or manufacturer.
• Prescription – We’ll gather all the data from the referral, the assessment and the trial, and prescribe a wheelchair that meets the needs of the client.
• Delivery – The retailer delivers to us, allowing us to make any necessary adjustments, and then we’ll do a full handover with the client.
• Review – This is an important part of our process. We recommend a six-week review because by this point, the client will be used to the new equipment and any necessary tweaks will be obvious. Ideally, you’ll also do a six-month review, particularly for children or clients with a changing presentation.

John also provides locum occupational therapy to NHS wheelchair services, and expert witness reports in clinical negligence claims.
 

Links
www.silverferntherapy.co.uk
https://twitter.com/silverfernuk
https://www.linkedin.com/company/silverferntherapy/