Private OT Assessment Service
Wheelchair & Seating Assessment at Home
For anyone with limited mobility, the right wheelchair or specialist seating is not just about comfort — it is the foundation of independence, safety, and quality of life. Our experienced occupational therapists provide comprehensive wheelchair assessments at home, ensuring your seating solution is tailored to your unique physical needs and lifestyle.
What We Assess
Manual Wheelchairs
Self-propelled or transit options
Powered Wheelchairs
Indoor/outdoor control options
Specialist Seating
Tilt-in-space & postural support
Pressure Care Cushions
Prevention of pressure injuries
Why a Specialist Assessment Matters
Buying a wheelchair "off the shelf" rarely meets complex needs. Without proper clinical assessment, even an expensive chair can cause harm. Gravity pulls the body into a slumped position, leading to postural deformities, breathing difficulties, and painful pressure areas.
A specialist seating assessment by an occupational therapist ensures your wheelchair or seating system actively supports your body — protecting against pressure injury, correcting posture, and enabling you to function as independently as possible.
Protection
Prevention of pressure ulcers via appropriate cushions and positioning
Posture
Correction and support for spinal alignment and pelvic position
Function
Enabling daily activities, transfers, and independence
What We Offer
Our occupational therapists assess, prescribe, and advise on a range of seating and mobility solutions — all in the comfort of your own home.
Manual Wheelchairs
For those who can self-propel or need a transit chair pushed by a carer. We assess muscle strength and range of motion to ensure the chair is lightweight, correctly sized, and configured to protect shoulders and back during use.
Powered Wheelchairs
For individuals with reduced upper limb strength or fatigue. We evaluate your ability to operate controls safely and specify powered chairs tailored to your environment — whether for indoor manoeuvrability or outdoor terrain.
Specialist & Comfort Seating
For those who spend much of their day seated. We focus on custom seating solutions including tilt-in-space mechanisms, lateral supports, specialist backrests, and pressure-relieving cushions to maximise comfort and respiratory function.
Who Benefits from a Seating Assessment?
A posture assessment at home is valuable for anyone who relies on a wheelchair or spends significant time seated. Our assessments are particularly important for:
- People at risk of pressure sores — Those with limited mobility, reduced sensation, or who spend long periods sitting need appropriate pressure-relieving cushions and regular repositioning guidance.
- Complex postural needs — Scoliosis, kyphosis, pelvic obliquity, or fixed deformities require specialist seating to prevent deterioration and maximise comfort.
- Neurological conditions — Stroke, Parkinson's, MS, and other neurological conditions can affect trunk control and sitting balance, requiring specialist support.
- Progressive conditions — For conditions that change over time, regular seating reviews ensure equipment continues to meet evolving needs.
- Those needing wheelchair prescription for funding — NHS wheelchair services, charities, and Disabled Facilities Grants often require clinical justification from a registered therapist.
Our Assessment Process
Our goal is to provide a precise wheelchair prescription that meets your long-term needs. We do not sell chairs — we provide independent clinical advice to ensure you get the right support.
Physical Assessment
A full evaluation of your pelvic position, spinal alignment, hip and knee angles, and joint range of motion. We assess muscle tone, strength, and any fixed deformities that affect seating.
Accurate Measurements
Taking precise body measurements to determine optimal seat width, seat depth, back height, armrest height, and footrest position — ensuring the chair fits you, not the other way around.
Tissue Viability Check
Assessing skin integrity and pressure risk to recommend the correct pressure-relieving cushion — from foam to air-cell technology — depending on your individual risk level.
Environment Review
Ensuring the recommended chair works within your home — checking door widths, turning circles, floor surfaces, and storage. Home-based assessment means we see the real challenges.
What You Receive
Following your assessment, we provide a detailed clinical report with wheelchair specifications and recommendations. For complex cases involving case managers, solicitors, or NHS funding applications, we produce the clinical justification required to support funding requests.
Why Assessment at Home?
A clinic-based assessment can miss critical factors. Your home is where you actually use your wheelchair — and where problems become apparent. A chair that seems fine in a showroom may be impossible to manoeuvre through your bathroom door or turn in your hallway.
By conducting the wheelchair assessment at home, we see the real environment. We can test whether a chair fits through doorways, turns in your living room, and works on your flooring. We can observe how you transfer from bed to chair, and whether carers have enough space to assist safely.
Home assessment also means no stressful travel for someone who may already struggle with mobility — and family members or carers can be present to ask questions and understand the recommendations.
Our Occupational Therapists
All our OTs are HCPC registered and RCOT members with specialist experience in seating, posture, and equipment provision. View all team profiles.
Rosie Watts
Senior Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapy
Kate Griffiths
Senior Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapy
Jo Howard
Senior Occupational Therapist
Occupational TherapyWhat Our Patients Say
Rated 5★ on Google · Based on 27 reviews
I highly recommend Medella Home Physio. They have been looking after my father after a series of small strokes with kindness, compassion & encouragement that has seen him progress both physically & mentally. They have communicated with the care home staff to ensure they understand his needs, and have helped me with finding suitable wheelchair options when I was totally overwhelmed with the choices available.
Fiona Ball
Google Review
First class Occupational Health service provided to my 90 year old father-in-law. Rosie was thorough, friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend.
Paul Grenville
Google Review
My daughter contacted Medella for advice after my major surgery and stroke. The receptionist was extremely helpful and felt Seena would be the right physiotherapist to help me. Seena has given a sympathetic but firm approach encouraging me to regain movement in both my arms and to also strengthen my legs. Her knowledge and expertise have been invaluable and her exercises gentle but challenging. I would highly recommend her.
Wendy Brightman
Google Review
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a professional assessment necessary?
An inappropriate chair can cause long-term harm. Without proper support, gravity causes the body to slump, leading to postural deformities, breathing difficulties, and pressure injuries. A professional seating assessment ensures the equipment supports your physical condition rather than worsening it — and provides the clinical documentation often required for funding.
Do you provide the wheelchair?
We are an independent therapy service — we do not sell wheelchairs. We provide the wheelchair prescription and detailed specifications. We can recommend trusted suppliers for you to purchase from, or provide the clinical reports required for NHS wheelchair services, charity funding, or insurance claims.
Can you help with pressure care?
Yes. Preventing pressure sores is a major part of our assessment. We advise on appropriate pressure-relieving technology — from foam cushions to sophisticated air-cell systems — depending on your individual risk level, skin integrity, and how long you spend seated each day.
How much does a wheelchair assessment cost?
Wheelchair and seating assessments are specialist OT services. Pricing depends on the complexity of your needs — from straightforward manual wheelchair assessments to complex postural seating systems requiring detailed clinical reports. Contact us for a quote after a brief phone conversation about your situation.
Which areas do you cover?
We provide wheelchair and seating assessments at home across Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire. This includes Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole, Salisbury, Ringwood, and the surrounding towns. The first 5 miles of travel are free, with additional mileage at £2 per mile.
Pricing
Wheelchair and seating assessments are specialist OT services. Pricing depends on the complexity of your needs — from straightforward manual wheelchair assessments to complex postural seating systems requiring detailed clinical reports.
Contact us for a quote. After a brief phone conversation about your situation, we can provide a clear price for your assessment. For complex cases involving case managers, solicitors, or funding applications, we will outline exactly what the assessment and report will include.
For standard occupational therapy rehabilitation sessions, our prices start from £60 for a 30-minute home visit.
View Full Price ListFind the Right Seating for Comfort & Independence
Whether you need a wheelchair assessment, specialist seating advice, or clinical documentation for funding — our experienced occupational therapists can help. Contact us for a free, no-obligation conversation about your needs.