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Call for more information and costs or if you are enquiring for yourself or a family member you can use our online cost guide for individuals.

Access in & out of the home

Find out how we can help

Peace of mind to move in and out of your home safely & independently

Whether it be getting to the car, the garden, the shops or social activities, being able to access the world outside our home is important for both mental and physical wellbeing. When mobility is reduced, even otherwise simple journeys can become a challenge.

We assist many people facing all variety of difficulties to maintain their independence and access to their community. Our experience also helps ensure that the solutions we provide, as well as being practical and cost-effective, are the best possible aesthetic fit for a client's own home.

How OT's help

Help with access into and out of the home is one of the most common reasons our clients contact us. Whether for a temporary or more long-term solution, the following are examples of challenges we can address:

  • Steps and stairs leading to a property, whether via a communal or private entrance
  • Access to a town-based property from street level
  • External ramps which may be too steep or in a state of disrepair
  • Access to a garden or driveway
  • Risk of falling
  • Reduced confidence moving into and out of the home after illness, injury or a period in hospital

Our assessment process allows a specialised occupational therapist to identify all such problems, make recommendations to reduce them, and (if desired) arrange for any recommended changes to be made.

Our approach

Our aim is to provide flexible, practical and cost-effective solutions for accessing your home and community. Our assessment may involve looking at:

  • Your current and likely future levels of mobility, hand and shoulder function
  • The home environment, including your garden, driveway or street access
  • The layout and style of your property, including shared access areas
  • Any equipment that you currently or are likely to need in the future, such as frames, scooters or wheelchairs
  • Your own, your family's or carer's specific wishes and goals

Common recommendations

Some practical solutions that we may recommend to help you access your home include:

  • Grab rails at the front door
  • Hand rails on existing steps or stairs
  • Installation of smaller half-steps
  • Installation of ramps with gentle gradients that allow for walking, scooters or wheelchairs
  • Installation of stair or platform lifts

We can help with

If required we can also provide assistance with:

  • Sourcing suppliers - we work with companies nationally to ensure we always offer competitively-priced solutions
  • Arranging and managing lift representatives or builders who may need to visit your home
  • Reviewing plans with architects and builders to ensure that any changes to your home are right for you, both now and in the future

Public sector, charities and businesses

Is your organisation looking for professional OT services?

Find out more

Common conditions we help with

Find out more about how our OT’s can help by visiting our pages dedicated to specific conditions associated with home access difficulties.

Why The OT Practice

We recognise the importance of knowing that you are in safe hands. That is why, when you first make contact with us, you will straightaway be able to explain your concerns to a member of our client management team who will be able to provide relevant information about our services, answer any questions you may have and provide guidance on next steps. This dedicated team will then remain in charge of your case through any subsequent assessment and treatment we provide.

Other reasons to rely on The OT Practice include:

  • We visit you in your own home and at a time convenient to you and your family, and are happy to offer evening and weekend appointments
  • We do not have waiting lists and so can offer appointments within 7 working days of referral or sooner
  • Our extensive nationwide network of registered occupational therapists allows us to find you the right local therapist
  • We can provide ongoing support for as long as you need it
  • Our clear, fixed pricing system will be provided to you in writing for you to consider in your own time
  • Your occupational therapist will be a specialist in their field, with over 5 years' clinical experience including time in social services or NHS practice
  • Our team are well connected to networks of local and national equipment providers, stair lift and building companies

Services for businesses, organisations and the public sector

Local authorities

Our team provide individual or bulk assessments for local authorities looking to reduce waiting lists or ease pressure.

Find out more

Case managers

Comprehensive, goal orientated OT services for your clients in their own homes and community.

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Housing associations

Providing reports and recommendations for individual residents or working on large regeneration projects.

Find out more

Charities

Working with charities to provide reports and recommendations for grant funding applications.

Find out more

Construction companies

Individual or bulk housing assessments and recommendations for kitchen, bathroom or access projects.

Find out more

Care homes

We provide individual equipment recommendations or advice on environmental accessibility

Find out more

Next steps

Initial enquiry

During your initial call to us you can discuss your concerns with a member of our client management team, who will be able to understand what your difficulties are, provide information and advice on our services and identify the right OT from our team.

Quote

If therapist input is recommended, we will send you a detailed quote via email or in writing explaining what, after a full assessment, we would propose and how much it would cost, as well as rates for further work that might be recommended in the future.

Referral

Once you have had time to consider the options and costs, and if you would like to go ahead, the next step would be to fill in our online referral form. In the meantime, if you have further concerns or questions then our client manager will be happy to discuss them with you.

Assessment

Our therapist will then contact you within 24 hours to arrange a visit at your home. Normally this first visit will comprise a full assessment, after which you will receive a comprehensive written report.

Advice

The report will include a clear record of our findings and recommendations. These may include useful items you can buy or activities you can do independently, but they may also include more complex recommendations such as home adaptations or additional treatment by the occupational therapist. Where additional involvement is required, we will follow up the report with a detailed quotation so that you have all the information needed to make an informed decision.

As Private Occupational Therapists our aim is to provide choices and guidance to help you decide what the best options are for you

A few of our housing specialists

Meet a selection of our occupational therapists who are specialists in assessing access needs and planning adaptations.

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Alexis

Norfolk, East Anglia

Alexis provides Occupational Therapy services in Rehabilitation, Housing and Equipment, Moving and Handling, Paediatrics, and Neurological Rehabilitation across East Anglia.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

East Midlands, East Anglia, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Sensory integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Balance, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management, School Based Therapy/Support, TBI

Jacqui

Surrey, South of England

Jacqui, an OT with a focus on housing and equipment, moving and handling, and functional rehabilitation, is based in Surrey.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Surrey, West Sussex

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Dawn

Cornwall, West and South West of England

Dawn is an OT based in Cornwall, providing expert assessments and therapy for both adult and paediatric clients.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Cornwall, Devon

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Sensory Integration, The Listening Programme

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Daily living skills, Sensory integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Self care, Postural management, School Based Therapy/Support, Anxiety management & relaxation

Elena

Cardiff, Cardiff

Based in Cardiff, Elena helps children develop confidence, independence and everyday skills through Occupational Therapy.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Wales, Bridgend, Cardiff

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation

Further qualifications

CO-OP Practitioner

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Self care, Postural management, School Based Therapy/Support, Learning disability

Katie

London - South, London

Based in London, Katie provides expert Housing and Equipment, Moving and Handling, Seating and Postural Management, and Functional Rehabilitation assessments.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London , London - Central, London - North, London - South, London - East, London - West

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Community access, Behaviour management, Balance, Co-ordination

Jennie

Hampshire, South East of England

Hampshire and West Sussex based occupational therapist Jennie specialises in mental health, Moving & Handling and Housing.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

, Hampshire, West Sussex

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Daily living skills

Amy

Devon, West and South West of England

Located in Devon, Amy is an expert OT who provides specialist interventions for clients across the South-West of England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Devon, Dorset, Somerset

Specialisms

Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Train the trainer

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Self care, Postural management, TBI

Gemma

Midlothian, Scotland

Gemma specialises in Moving and Handling, and Housing and Equipment, providing expert Occupational Therapy services across Scotland and Northern England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, North East England, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, Scotland

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Moving and Handling

Katie

Gloucestershire, West and South West of England

Based in Tewkesbury, Katie is a specialist Paediatric OT delivering expert interventions across Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, West and South West of England, Herefordshire, Worcestershire

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment

Specialist skills

Routine planning, Daily living skills, Sensory integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Self care, Postural management, School Based Therapy/Support, Learning disability

Donna

Lancashire, North West England

Donna supports adults and older people across North West England, specialising in functional rehabilitation, housing, equipment and postural management.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Lancashire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Angela

Kent, South East of England

Based in Kent, Angela is a specialist OT in Housing and Equipment assessments and interventions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Kent

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

BIA

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments

Laura

Oxfordshire, South East of England

Trained in advanced postural management and rehabilitation techniques, Laura provides expert Occupational Therapy to clients at home.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, East Midlands, London, South of England, South East of England, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care, TBI

Samantha

Merseyside, North West England

Helping children succeed at home and school, Samantha provides specialist paediatric Occupational Therapy across the North West.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Merseyside

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Community access, Sensory integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Postural management, School Based Therapy/Support, Learning disability

Benedicta

Buckinghamshire, West Midlands

Benedicta is a dedicated occupational therapist specialising in Functional Rehab and Housing & Equipment solutions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Herefordshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, West Midlands

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Daily living skills

Sue

Somerset, West and South West of England

Sue specialises in Housing & Equipment, having developed her expertise in environments across Somerset for the past 20 years.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Routine planning, Daily living skills, Self care

Felicia

Buckinghamshire, South East of England

Felicia specialises in functional rehabilitation, housing and equipment, moving and handling, and seating across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and London.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Lisa

London

In London and Surrey, Lisa, an Occupational Therapist, specialises in housing and equipment, moving and handling.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Surrey

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments

Cath

Somerset, West and South West of England

Based in Somerset, Cath is a highly skilled Paediatric OT working with children in their own homes and schools.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Somerset

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Postural management, TBI

Sarah

Bedfordshire, East Anglia

Sarah is an experienced Occupational Therapist based in Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

East Anglia, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments

Joanne

Wolverhampton, West Midlands

With over 30 years of experience, Joanne specialises in functional rehabilitation, helping clients regain independence.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire

Specialisms

Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Daily living skills, Community access, Self care

Katherine

Dorset, South of England

Qualifying in 2004, Katherine is an experienced OT specialising in Paediatrics and Housing, providing tailored support across Dorset and Hampshire.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, Dorset, Hampshire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Moving and Handling

Richard

Southampton, Hampshire

Richard, an Occupational Therapist, specialises in seating and postural management, functional rehabilitation, and neurological rehabilitation.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Dorset, Hampshire, Southampton

Specialisms

Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Wheelchair accreditation

Rebecca

Leeds, West Yorkshire

Rebecca is an OT based in Leeds. She specialises in Functional Rehabilitation, supporting clients across the North West of England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Wakefield

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Train the trainer

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Planning & execution, Postural management

Emma

Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

Emma an experienced OT based in Hull and provides expert rehabilitation to clients across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

Train the trainer, Certificate in Education

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Balance, Self care

Nicola

Bristol, Avon

Helping children build confidence and independence, Nicola specialises in paediatric occupational therapy, sensory processing and early years development.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Avon, Bristol, Bristol, Bath

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Hayley

Norfolk, East Anglia

Hayley is an experienced OT who delivers expert Functional Rehabilitation to clients across East Anglia.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

East Anglia, Norfolk, Suffolk

Specialisms

Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Daily living skills, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management, Anxiety management & relaxation

Judy

Newcastle upon Tyne, Cumbria

Based in Carlisle, Judy delivers neurological rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy to promote independence and everyday function.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, North East England, Scotland, Cumbria, Lancashire, Tyne and Wear, Sunderland, Newcastle upon Tyne

Specialisms

Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Mental Health

Aaron

Wakefield, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Aaron, an Occupational Therapist, specialises in housing and equipment, functional rehab, and moving and handling.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, Leeds, Manchester, Wakefield, Hull

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Routine planning, Community access

Lucy

London - South, London

Based in London, Lucy is an Occupational Therapist with over 15 years of experience specialising in neurological rehabilitation.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Motivational interviewing, Fatigue management, Pain management, Daily living skills, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Postural management, Splinting, TBI

Sharne

Hampshire, South of England

Sharne is an Occupational Therapist specialising in Functional Rehab as well as Housing & Equipment. Sharne visits clients across Hampshire.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, South East of England, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, West Sussex, Brighton, Southampton

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Daily living skills, Self care

Client feedback

Further reading

Our news & press

How Can Occupational Therapy Help Reduce the NHS’s Bed Capacity Problem?

With the public sector currently in crisis, considering a deeper relationship between the private sector and the NHS is essential. Utilising the independent sector fully will significantly reduce the bed capacity challenges facing the NHS today.

Read more

Interested in Private Practice

Supporting Housing and Equipment OTs in Clinical Practice

Alongside The OT Practice is a network of 300 OT associates working in the community, and this number is continuing to grow. Find out how Di, our expert Housing and Equipment Clinical Lead, offers support to our therapists and the advice she has to offer to those considering private practice.

Read more