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Wheelchair Hub

Support during the coronavirus response

During this difficult time, a lot of our clients are shielding and staying home. We are also following the guidance and reducing contact to the essential services only. 

Our staff will be working from home wherever possible and we are looking at how we can work differently by offering telephone assessments and working towards video consultation where this is possible. This is a challenge due to the hands-on nature of our work with you. 

If you have an urgent need, please make this clear to our team. As staff work from home, you will need to leave a clear voice message or email. We will be able to get these messages securely, and will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Tel: 020 3771 5990
Email: wheelchair.hub@nhs.net 

We are following stringent hygiene guidelines and staff attending visits will be required to were protective aprons and gloves. We will guide you through social distancing to reduce contact, such as leaving equipment at the door. 

We will screen for any risk of infection within a home before we visit and will not attend homes where coronavirus is suspected unless absolutely necessary. 

We thank you for your co-operation and patience in these challenging times. We look forward to a time when we can resume our usual services. Until then, we wish you safety, health and quality time with your loved ones. 

The Wheelchair Hub - the wheelchair service for Hounslow

About the service

The Wheelchair Hub provides a comprehensive wheelchair, seating and sleep system service for people with long-term mobility problems and associated postural needs.

Service users must be registered with an NHS Hounslow GP.  The assessment is holistic and takes into consideration disability, environment, lifestyle and safety factors.  

The service offers assessment to children and adults for provision of manual and powered wheelchairs, specialist children's buggies and associated supportive seating to meet postural and pressure care needs. 

First referrals need to be completed and submitted by a GP or any other healthcare professional working with the service user. Once in our system, service users can then access the service directly.

Once equipment is provided, The Wheelchair Hub provides continuing support, reviews service users' needs and maintains equipment.   

The Hub provides a single, streamlined service for all aspects of wheelchair care: 

  • Wheelchair and posture assessment, equipment and review
  • Rehabilitation Engineering
  • Repairs and maintenance
  • Sleep system service  

Watch our video about coming to the Wheelchair Hub

Coming to the Wheelchair Hub from Communications Team on Vimeo.

symmsleep 1.jpgWe now offer sleep systems to local children and adults in Hounslow, as part of the new 24-hour postural management to service users.

Sleep systems enable patients to maintain good posture while sleeping, helping to prevent deformities from occurring and improving the patient’s health and quality of life.  The sleep systems provided by the trust are tailored to the needs of the user - creating a moulded shape around the body to support the patient in a well aligned posture overnight. 

Research has shown that sleep systems provide:

  • Management or prevention of pressure ulcers in bed
  • Postural management and improved comfort during sleep
  • Improved sleep quality for those using the sleep systems
  • Increased sleep for carers due to the improved sleep of their family member.
     
Refer to our service if your service user requires:
  • Long term complex postural management e.g. contractures, deformity, asymmetric posture either developing or present.
  • End of life care e.g. for posture management and comfort.
  • Pressure management / care to assist in preventing the development of pressure ulcers or as part of the healing process.
     

What we provide  

  • An assessment service for sleep systems, posture management and mobility with our multi-disciplinary team.
  • Prescription and provision of sleep system equipment from our dedicated budget, with no cost to your service.  
     

How to refer 

  • Hounslow Wheelchair Service provides sleep systems for both children and adults of all ages, who are registered with a Hounslow GP.
  • Initial referrals should be made by a health or social care professionals only. Re-referrals also accepted from service users.
  • To refer a patient, download the referral form or contact the service on 020 3771 5990. 
     

Related resources:

In 2014 the Wheelchair and Posture Management Service were shortlisted for an HSJ award for their Pilot Study to study the impact of  Sleep Systems for local people in HOUNSLOW requiring additional posture support in their beds.

This provided the evidence required to develop the Sleep System service which launched in August 2015.

Contact us directly on:  

T: 020 3771 5990  

The Wheelchair Hub team is based in Hounslow.

Map and directions  

The Admin Hub

  • Sharmila Vedantam - Operational Support Services and Systems Coordinator
  • Jas Suman – Senior Administrator 
  • Harpreet Sembhi - Administrator

The Clinical Hub

  • Sarah Brown – Clinical Services Manager
  • Nicola Aburto – Clinical Specialist
  • Elizabeth Bailey – Specialist Wheelchair Therapist
  • Roshni Vekaria – Wheelchair Therapist
  • 6 monthly rotation - Band 5 Occupational Therapist. 

The Technical Hub

  • Jim Clarke – Rehabilitation Engineer Manager
  • Derek Cartwright – Mobility Technician
  • Bart Burchacki – Mobility Technician
  • Chris Clarke – Mobility Technician (warehouse) 

New referrals:

To request an assessment for a wheelchair please complete the wheelchair services referral form.

To ensure that referrals are dealt with promptly please ensure that all fields are completed.
 

People already known to the service:

You can call, email or use the referral form provided.

Telephone: 020 3771 5990
Email: wheelchair.hub@nhs.net

Adaptive Yoga with WheelPower

WheelPower has launched a series of Adaptive Yoga videos to encourage wheelchair users to exercise from the comfort of their homes.

View the videos here

Yoga is a safe and effective way to increase strength, flexibility and your balance that can lead to improvements in both your physical and mental wellbeing.

Adaptive yoga.png

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