A child or young person with a physical difficulty may encounter challenges in day-to-day activities and require extra support.
Difficulties can be because of:
- a physical impairment, for example, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, arthritis or genetic disorder
- delayed development of gross and or fine motor skills due to various reasons, for example, a specific condition, lack of exposure, hospitalisation, or illness
- an injury or illness that causes a short-term change to physical functioning.
Services that can support those conditions include:
- occupational therapy services for children and young people including equipment
- physiotherapy service
- wheelchair service
Occupational therapy services for children and young people
In H&F, occupational therapy services for children and young people are organised through the following services:
- CYPOT (Occupational Therapy for Children): An NHS service collaborating with families, nurseries, schools and other providers
- H&F Social Care OTs: These therapists offer home-based support, including equipment and adaptations
- SEN OT (Special Education Needs): Responsible for school provision based on children's education, health and care (EHC) plans.
See Occupational therapy services for children and young people
Children's physiotherapy
If your child or a young person:
- has a short-term condition such a knee pain or following a fracture
- has difficulties related to the development of her or his motor skills
- has a long term illness or disability such as cerebral palsy.
The children's physiotherapy service can help in hospital wards, outpatient clinics and in the local community. This includes provision of physiotherapy for children in local schools, nurseries and homes.
Children's physiotherapists (or paediatric physiotherapists) are chartered physiotherapists who have completed additional training to specialise in the assessment and treatment of babies, children and young people. They have expertise in assessment and treatment of movement difficulties.
Your GP, health visitor, or healthcare professional can help refer you to this team.
For more information, go to Children's therapy, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Equipment and adaptations
The H&F Social Care OTs will advise on equipment and adaptations as part of the assessment. See H&F Social Care OTs for more information.
Wheelchair service
AJM is the health care provider that covers the North West London Wheelchair Service
The service provides wheelchairs, specialist seating and buggies for children and adults who have a long-term condition that affects their mobility.
The service also provides modifications and accessories for use in a wheelchair to address clinical and mobility needs including postural support and or pressure care.
How to refer to the wheelchair service
The GP or the therapists working with the child can make a referral. Parents, carers or the young person can make a self-referral by contacting the service on 0808 164 2040 or ajm.healthcare@nhs.net
If the referral meets the eligibility criteria, the service will contact the person who made the referral to arrange a wheelchair assessment.
What happens at a wheelchair assessment
The service will call you to arrange your assessment appointment in a location a time that works for you. The assessment can take place at one of the wheelchair clinics in Park Royal, Wembley, Barnet or at St. Charles Hospital in West London or another appropriate location, for example at school or in a health care setting. Home assessments are also available but only in certain circumstances.
A therapist will perform a wheelchair assessment of the child or young person's clinical and mobility needs. Depending on the assessment, the service may provide a wheelchair or buggy.
During the assessment the service will offer the option of accessing a personal wheelchair budget. This allows the person to either upgrade their NHS wheelchair, for example by adding colour or they can choose to go to another third-party supplier. More information about the personal wheelchair budgets is available by visiting the website or you can ask for advice from any of our therapists.
More information about referrals and assessments
Wheelchair repairs
North West London Wheelchair Services - Repairs
For repairs to the wheelchair on loan to you from the NHS, please call contact:
AJM Healthcare
Unit 3, Abbey Road Industrial Park
Commercial Way
Park Royal
London NW10 7XF
0808 164 2040
Fax: 0808 133 0138
Opening hours
- Monday to Friday (8am to 6pm)
- In the week, emergency operating hours are 7am to 8am and 6pm to 11pm
- At weekends, emergency operating hours are 7am to 11pm including bank holidays.
The service user and their carer need to take care of the equipment including cleaning, reporting repairs and storage.