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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

Your Clinical Services Manager

Victoria

Victoria

Snr Clinical Services Manager

Victoria, an experienced OT, is the Clinical Services Manager supervising the team looking after referrals from our case managers, solicitors and other professional clients.

Email the team

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.

Find out more

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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Georgia

London

OT Georgia has experience in vocational and functional rehabilitation, as well as expertise in seating and postural management.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Kent

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management, Wheelchair accreditation, Anxiety management & relaxation

Natiq

London - East, Essex

Qualifying in 2011, Natiq specialises in housing & equipment, rehabilitation and seating & postural management for adults and children.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Essex

Specialisms

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

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Co-ordination, School Based Therapy/Support, Mental Health

Tanya

Hertfordshire, South East of England

Tanya is an OT in Housing & Equipment and Moving & Handling, visiting clients across Hertfordshire, London, and East Anglia.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

East Anglia, London, South of England, South East of England, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, East Sussex, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Northamptonshire, Suffolk

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Motivational interviewing, DFG Assessments, Fatigue management, Pain management, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Self care, Social integration, Postural management, Anxiety management & relaxation, Learning disability

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

Suzanne

Cheshire, North West England

Suzanne provides expert occupational therapy services, specialising in rehabilitation, equipment and adaptations and functional assessments across North West England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Social integration, Anxiety management & relaxation, Mental Health

Janet

London - South, Kent

Janet is an expert Occupational Therapist specialising in paediatrics and neurological rehabilitation, she works with children at home and school.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, Kent, London - Central, London - South, London - East

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Therapeutic listening

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Balance, Co-ordination, Self care, Social integration, School Based Therapy/Support, Learning disability

Hazel

Cardiff, Cardiff

Cardiff, Newport and North Somerset based Occupational Therapist Hazel specialises in Seating and Postural, Housing & Equipment, Moving & Handling.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Wales, The Vale of Glamorgan

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

Certificate in Education

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Wheelchair accreditation, Anxiety management & relaxation

Sheila

London - West, Middlesex

Sheila, a dedicated Occupational Therapist in London, specialises in rehabilitation, aids, and adaptations, promoting independence and enhancing wellbeing.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Middlesex, London - North, London - West

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

Train the trainer

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Balance

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

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

Claire

Buckinghamshire, South East of England

Claire, an experienced Occupational Therapist based in Buckinghamshire in the South East of England, specializes in housing and equipment.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Buckinghamshire, London - Central

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Daily living skills, Community access

Alistair

Pembrokeshire, Wales

Alistair, an accomplished Occupational Therapist residing in Pembrokeshire, Wales who specialises in in Functional and Neurological rehabilitation, and housing adaptions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, West Midlands, South of England, South East of England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Avon, Berkshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Herefordshire, Kent, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Borders, Orkney, Shetland, South Lanarkshire, Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, Wrexham

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Janette

Liverpool, Cheshire

Janette, a specialist Hand Therapist, provides expert assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation for upper limb conditions across North West England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Wales , Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent

Specialisms

Hand Therapy, Functional rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Splinting, Anxiety management & relaxation

Ronda

Kent, South East of England

Occupational Therapist Ronda specializes in functional and neurological rehabilitation and moving and handling. She serves clients in the South East.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex, London - Central, London - South

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Train the trainer

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care, Splinting, TBI

Ruth

Kent, South East of England

Ruth is an OT based in Whitstable, Kent, offering comprehensive assessments and rehabilitation for clients with injury and long-term conditions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Kent, London - South

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment

Further qualifications

Certificate in Education

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Fatigue management, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Self care, Social integration

David

Perthshire and Kinross, Scotland

David uses his decade of experience to provide Housing & Equipment OT services and Functional Rehabilitation to clients in Scotland.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Scotland, Aberdeenshire, Borders, Clackmannan, Dundee (City of), East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh (City of), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow (City of), Highland, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Perthshire and Kinross, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation

Roxanne

Bath, Avon

Roxanne is a skilled Occupational Therapist, specialising in rehabilitation, adaptations, and paediatrics, supporting diverse needs across South West England.

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Profession

Regions covered

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

Specialisms

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

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Self care, Social integration, School Based Therapy/Support, Wheelchair accreditation, Learning disability, Mental Health

Gaynor

Northamptonshire, East Midlands

Gaynor is a highly skilled OT providing expert neurological, vocational, and functional rehabilitation to clients in the East Midlands

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, East Midlands, East Anglia, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, South Yorkshire, Warwickshire, London - North, Nottingham, Leicester

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

BOBATH

Specialist skills

PIPs, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Social integration, Anxiety management & relaxation, TBI

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

Michael

Merseyside, North West England

Housing & equipment, and functional rehabilitation OT Michael operates in the North West of England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, West Midlands, Flintshire, Wrexham

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Ergonomics

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, PIPs, Routine planning, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Balance, Planning & execution

Harriet

Buckinghamshire, South East of England

Harriet is an expert functional rehabilitation Occupational Therapist, delivering specialist assessments to clients in South East England and London.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Bedfordshire, London - North

Specialisms

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

Specialist skills

Daily living skills

Donna

Kent, South East of England

Working in Kent, Donna is a highly skilled OT specialising in Housing and Equipment interventions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Kent

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Routine planning, Daily living skills, Self care

Sam

Northamptonshire, East Midlands

Based in Northamptonshire, Sam is an OT with over 20 years of experience, specialising in rehabilitation and Housing & Equipment.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

, Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Warwickshire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Daily living skills, Balance, Self care, Postural management

John

London

Based in London, experienced Occupational Therapist John assists adults with a range of physical and neurological health conditions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England

Specialisms

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

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Daily living skills, Community access, Postural management

Jodie

Kent, South East of England

OT Jodie provides Neurological rehabilitation in the South East of England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

BOBATH

Specialist skills

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

Liz

Liverpool, Merseyside

Liz is a therapist specialising in Functional Rehabilitation & Housing and Equipment for pain conditions and more.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Cheshire, Merseyside

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Motivational interviewing, Counselling, Fatigue management, Pain management, Motivational issues, Daily living skills, Anxiety management & relaxation, Mental Health

Laura

London - Central, Buckinghamshire

Lauren, an Occupational Therapist, specialises in housing and equipment, seating and postural management, and functional rehabilitation.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Bridgend, Carmarthenshire, The Vale of Glamorgan, London - Central

Specialisms

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

Further qualifications

Therapeutic listening

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Self care, Postural management, Splinting

Paula

Warwickshire, West Midlands

Paula is an expert Occupational Therapist, delivering specialist Functional, Neurological, and Vocational Rehabilitation to clients the Midlands.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, East Midlands, South East of England, Buckinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care, TBI

Anna

Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Anna, a dedicated Occupational Therapist based in the Midlands, serves Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Stoke-on-Trent and has multiple specialisms.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, East Midlands, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent

Specialisms

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

Further qualifications

BOBATH

Specialist skills

Motivational interviewing, Fatigue management, Pain management, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management, Splinting, TBI

Carly

Essex, South East of England

Specialist Occupational Therapist Carly provides neurological rehabilitation and housing adaptations across South East England, offering tailored, evidence-based interventions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Essex

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Routine planning, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Co-ordination, Self care, Postural management, Mental Health, TBI

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